Contemporary and quaint

With the renovations and redesign of the Munich brewery “Paulaner am Nockherberg”, frank architekten managed to create a work of art – the integration of traditional rustic tavern culture into a modern design concept.

A beer brewed in accordance with the Bavarian purity law may only contain four ingredients. Even if the law is not legally binding today, most traditional breweries still follow it. The fact that this law not only connects tradition and modernity when brewing, but may also be relevant when it comes to the architecture, is shown by the comprehensive redesign of the Munich gastronomic establishment of “Paulaner am Nockherberg” by the frank architekten firm, based in Bavaria. 

 “When it comes to the beer purity law, there are clear ingredients and rules for preparation,” explains Prof. Markus Frank, Managing Director of the architecture and interior design firm that also bears his name. “So we didn’t just want to brew according to the Bavarian beer purity law, but also build. Using simple, unpretentious materials and natural, honest surfaces.”

In spite of the contemporary design, new foyer, and modern lighting technology, the traditional charm, the typical Bavarian atmosphere remains.
Public reaction has shown that the balancing act between tradition and modernity has been a success. International guests feel just at home here as long-time residents of Munich from the Au-Haidhausen district, for whom the “Paulaner am Nockherberg” is still just the ‘local pub round the corner’.

“It was really important to us to give something familiar back to the locals,” says Markus Frank. “At the same time, we wanted to visually rejuvenate the traditional set-up of these types of establishments, and make it appeal to a new audience.”

Here, it was important to Frank to connect with the materials. “Color is an emotional design tool and every one of us connects a color shade with certain spheres of feeling,” explains Markus Frank. That’s why the material and structure of the color surface are equally important. “Creating a certain atmosphere with a combination – that’s where the art is. It’s like brewing beer. You have to have a feel for it. You have to feel it with all your senses when you step into a room.”