Fabriek van Niek – nachBAR for the Dutch Embassy in Berlin: Reprise

As we noted in our original post on Niek Wagemans’ nachBAR project for the Dutch Embassy in Berlin, we sadly had to depart Berlin before construction was finished.

“What we’ve seen so far however impresses.”, we noted, “And we can’t imagine our position will change dramatically.”

It hasn’t.

A delightfully compact, well proportioned and very welcoming object, nachBAR proudly presents it origins and with its sheet steel cladding and rounded edges radiates something of the aura, and arguably spirit, of Jean Prouvé, while remaining very much its own object.

And an object that more that holds its own against Rem Koolhaas’ Dutch Embassy. Despite, or maybe because of, the difference of scale.

But as we noted in our original post, nachBAR isn’t about the architectural merits or otherwise of the finished work. But how the object came about and what it represents. And for all how everyone who comes into contact with it interprets the ethos behind the project and applies the conclusions they reach to their own life.

The nachBAR has now been parked within the safe confines of the Embassy but will be used, as a café/bar, on a regular basis.

If you get the chance to enjoy a drink there do take it.

And who knows, with the Oranje doing so well at the football world cup maybe the Ambassador himself will pull a few celebratory, neighbourly, beers should Holland win.

Just a thought……………….

A few impressions: