The challenge: nature transformed In order to integrate the theme of nature within architecture without relying on simple imitation is no easy task, yet we successfully achieved this at cocos in the Stadtgalerie in Passau. The design: dining beneath the willows Like rays of sunshine, light is filtered through the filigree leaf canopy made of plexiglass, conjuring a play of reflections and shadows over walls and floor. Extending wall to wall, the translucent foliage has the effect of dissolving the ceiling.
The soft green canopy of the restaurant draws the eye. The warm brown tones of the furniture, flooring and bar provide a gentle, understated backdrop to the animated patterns of light. The earthy quality of the other fittings forms a contrast to the weightlessness of the ceiling installation. To augment the garden ambience, small porcelain lamps, shaped like Chinese lanterns, bathe each individual table with soft lighting.
Kerstin Heyroth: 'Nature is to be found in every kind of architecture. It is our inspiration, demanding to be reworked in a contemporary manner.'
