The design of the cafe incorporated the need to modernize the ground floor of the museum and adapt it for new functions. The design philosophy was based on striking a balance between its avant-garde tradition and historic function and creating a social space, which will encourage people to stay in the museum and share their opinions.
The cafe features a faceted wooden bar made of wooden triangular planes with back-lit plexiglass panels and bar stools designed by Konstantin Grcic. A bookshop has been incorporated inside the space, which is enclosed in a glass room. The cafe includes a structure that resembles a fragment of some mysterious sculpture and seems to emerge from the floor and walls. The cafe has a separate entrance and is open beyond the museum’s exhibition hours.
After entering the gateway passage, the viewer is directed by signs towards the exhibition, cafeteria and bookshop. In addition, specific places are identified visually through sparingly used color and light, which makes it easy for the viewer to understand. Opposite the exhibition entrance, there is an information and ticket desk designed with a strong note of red, which provides a strong contrast to the rest of the interior.
The cloakroom and the museum pass office are linked with a shared counter. Clothing is stored in slide closets with glass fronts, which allows ample access to daylight and prevents disorder. Spread over an entire wall next to the cloakroom, a mirror multiplies and optically enlarges the small space.
