The Bernstein, Bielefeld.
"Appealing to guests' emotions."
Fine dining, bistro and bar come together at The Bernstein in Bielefeld. With the redesign of the restaurant, interior designer Marieme Diene and architect Andreas Georg Hanke have created a highlight above the rooftops of the city. In an interview, they tell us how the refurbishment went, what role lighting with QualityFlex plays in the new concept, and what materials they used.
What was the particular challenge for you in refurbishing The Bernstein?
The challenge was to breathe new life into a restaurant that had already been around for 17 years. In numerous intensive hours together with the client, we then developed the concept.
"Regulars and new customers alike should build their own unique relationship with the new The Bernstein."
What did you place particular emphasis on in your concept?
We wanted to create a unified overall concept and reflect the philosophy of the clients in the interior design. That's why we carefully selected every building material and designed some pieces of furniture especially for The Bernstein. For us, it was important that different guests could each perceive the restaurant differently. After all, regular guests and new customers should develop their very own relationship with the new The Bernstein.
Different zones place different demands on the lighting. How do you ensure that guests and employees feel equally comfortable?
We like to work with two stages of a lighting concept: With the basic lighting we secure the traffic routes, illuminate work surfaces and tables. Whereas with the atmospheric light we address the emotions of the guests and create a pleasant basic mood.
What demands do you place on the lighting in terms of light color, dimmability and spatial effect?
It was important to us that The Bernstein finds its basic mood in the range of 2000 to 2700 Kelvin color temperature. In other words, between candlelight and warm white. Dimmability of the luminaires with dim2warm is crucial for us in this context.
The light lines are certainly a highlight. How did the concept for the ceiling lighting come about?
We wanted to make the ceiling beams disappear and create a second level that shines as a new striking landmark above the rooftops of Bielefeld. The light lines designed with QualityFlex are, more precisely, rhombuses that we let appear again and again as a design element in The Bernstein. From the floor in the bistro area to the elevator core and the logo. The light lines should be controllable and dimmable so that the warm light of the diamonds shines significantly in all directions of the restaurant.
What do you look for when staging food and drinks?
It's important that tables are optimally lit. For guests, nothing is more thankless than not being able to see the food properly, or eating in the wrong color of light. That's why we pay attention here to the use of warm light with natural color rendering.
"For guests, nothing is more thankless than not being able to properly identify the food."
How did you express the high emotionality of the restaurant?
Materials such as walnut, oak, granite, petroleum blue lacquered woods and nickel silver are the basis of the atmospheric design. These natural materials are precisely illuminated by the lighting design. We have deliberately used materials with reflective surfaces so that the lighting elements can be perceived in ever-changing ways. The granite tabletops in the bistro, for example, reflect the light lines of the ceiling grid. This creates particularly beautiful lighting effects. We also positioned the large glass luminaires in such a way that they reflect the light lines in a curved manner. The symbiosis of light and material addresses the guest subtly in the first line and creates an emotional connection to the restaurant.
What makes The Bernstein a special restaurant?
The Bernstein is a bistro, restaurant and bar in one. Everyone is welcome here and can enjoy great food at fair prices. A location whose atmosphere changes throughout the day and can always adapt to the mood and needs of the guests. The new design of The Bernstein tells of the confidence of the 1950s, with a portion of 20s bar design. Guests should devote themselves exclusively to enjoyment in this special ambience. All the details of this design match the themes of the design: the classic bar, where Marylin Monroe could also be standing, the fine dining and the bistro area combine past and present.
"The symbiosis of light and material appeals subtly to the guest in the first place and creates an emotional connection to the restaurant."
