Danish practice Norm Architects used a palette of dark and warm materials combined with minimal tube lighting to create an "intimate and cosy atmosphere" at this wine bar and restaurant in Copenhagen.
Copenhagen-based Norm Architects was tasked with designing the interior of new venue Nærvær, which is situated within a modern building in the Christianshavn area of the city.
The building has a view towards a nearby canal and the old city centre beyond. Its shell was fitted out with an industrial aesthetic featuring raw concrete surfaces and exposed ventilation suspended from the ceiling.
The existing spaces informed the choice of materials that complement this industrial character, but introduce tones and textures intended to soften the effect and create a more comfortable environment.
"With an interior design defined by an array of stone, wood and metal, the materials are all natural and have deliberately been altered in order to create dark and industrial surfaces that match the mood of the place," said the architects.
"This conscious focus on tactility brings a warm, material richness to the interior that naturally compliments the raw concrete walls and industrial framework of the space."
Nærvær's bar offers a comprehensive wine menu, while a restaurant seating no more than ten people serves high-end food in a setting divided into various zones and niches that help to enhance the intimate experience.
The kitchen is placed centrally so diners can watch chef Yves Le Lay conjure up French dishes from behind a high bar wrapped in dark wood.
Materials throughout are chosen for their natural, durable qualities and ability to improve with age and use. The tactile surfaces are complemented by specially commissioned crockery, bowls and vases by Danish ceramist Maj-Brit Würtz.
The delicate yet industrial light fittings were designed by Norm Architects and are made from oil-burned steel frames with slender tubular diffusers that provide a warm and gentle illumination.
Potted trees and plants introduce greenery into the bright, daylit spaces and complement the natural materials.
Nærvær's interior is representative of how Norm Architects has applied "modernist principles of restraint and refinement" to projects including a contemporary take on the traditional farmhouse in England and a pared-back Italian restaurant interior in Copenhagen.