Attitudes such as those reflected in the vision of the City of Respect drive KunstRaum Goethestrasse xtd’s
work, forming a valuable foundation that can be expanded upon and carried into new ideas and works. The
basic principles of this foundation are first established with the participants and can then lead to new experiences and concepts in different contexts. Designing elements for common spaces is a process that is also
often implemented in these processes, due to their ability to fascinate and their potential for expression on
an aesthetic level.
At the Bio-Café-Restaurant atrium, the underlying idea of the City of Respect and the calming aesthetic of the
butterflies‘ swarms could contribute to a more inviting and relaxing atmosphere. A further goal was to increase
exposure to the outside world, as the restaurant lives and creates social participation. People with psychosocial
support needs can work at a restaurant that is is open for everyone and develop their skills in a business environment. Colourful graphics were placed in the shop windows and on the display cases in order to invite guests into
the space and to make the atrium’s special characteristics more visible, reading: “Sei offen für Neues, rede mit
Vielen” (EN: Be Open to New Things, Talk to Many People).
The dining area of the restaurant is made up of rooms that both have a different yet striking atmosphere – one
with a beautiful, ancient archway and a second room located by the garden that is flooded with sunlight by a
domed skylight. The idea behind the design of both rooms was to reflect each other in ceiling and wall decor.
In order to visually bring nature directly into the house, a mobile, formed by a swarm of hundreds of insects and
butterflies made of cut and perforated foil, leads from the entrance of the restaurant to the covered courtyard.
The bright and changing sunlight from the domed skylight and the watercolours of cloud formations hung on the
walls create lightness and joy in the atmosphere of the dining area.
Through these processes, the open design for and the atmosphere created in the space were ritualized and embedded into the community organization of the restaurant. These attitudes are carried forward, the basic ideas
and principles are reintroduced and grow with new people joining the group and an open, positive atmosphere is
actively created.