The transformation of the Bartók quarter (downtown area of Budapest’s XI. district) is still continuing nowadays. In addition to the strengthening cultural platform, many new shops, cafes and event spaces are opening too. As part of this process, Brutål Bar has also moved into the former space of an old-fashioned schnitzel restaurant.
The new venue connects to the main artery of the district, the Bartók boulevard, and its bustle flows into its interior spaces. Our goal was to create the impression that Brutål had always been part of this circulation. The smoky wall texture, the hammered original surfaces, and also the erroneous elements all affirm the organic development of the street and at the same time suggest that one does not have to remove everything that is old, it is good if the connection points to the past remain.
The interior is organized by a single view, which comes together standing on the sidewalk on a specific point of the street. Complementing the steel structure of the gallery left behind by the former eatery, the new trompe-l’œil opens up an abstract, boundless space to the new world of the quarter. Its central element, the illuminated doll, was inspired by the iconic scene of Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis. The metaphorical moment of the robot awakening to consciousness radiates the atmosphere of our new favorite bar. The theatrical nature of the place is amplified by the full-height curtains behind the portal, which gives a surreal view from the street when the bar is closed.
