die kunstbar Cologne

The extensive redesign of  the Cologne Cathedral and Cologne Train Station Plaza directly across from the historically protected "Alter Wartesaal" has resulted in the creation of a new room.

The banana shaped foundation that is built under the new "Freitreppe" with its cylinder shaped, colossal windows makes this new room an optic spectacle and an unusual location. Hans Jörg Przygoda, cologne architect at "pH-129" designed the interior.

The idea
After four years of close cooperation with the renowned Cologne Art Association, founded in 1839, a unique bar concept was developed.

Every year the Cologne Art Association (Kölnischer Kunstverein) chooses an artist to redesign "die kunstbar" for a certain budget. The artist has the freedom to experiment with many different forms of art. Color, lighting, sound, painting, sculpture, video/photo and interior arrangement can all be involved in his design. The artist can also choose the drinks offered, making the bar his work of art.

Even though art is an important aspect the bar is not to be seen as an exhibition but a pulsating bar that attracts a diverse mix of people until late at night. Due to its position in the middle of the media city Colgne "die kunstbar" should not only attract people interested in art but also business men, hipsters and people working in media.

And every year the location will be recreated.

art bar/bar art
The gastronomical concept will be just as exquisite as the art and architecture. Emphasis will be put on the cocktail menue, creativly mixed by bartenders and served by waiters. Beer, wine and non alchoholic drinks are also on the programm.

Special cocktails created by the artist will also be served. These are long term and new ones are added every year.



The first artistThe belgian artist Arne Quinze was a lost teenager, whose calling was graffiti. One day he decided to step out of anonomity and illegal spraying and devote himself to 3D-art.

In 1999 he designed the "Primary Pouf",  a very simple chair that showed the design world who he really was. This sitting block made from a self invented and patented to his name "Formfit" was the basis for his design company Quinze & Milan. Today he is still creative director and designs most of the collections himself.

His furniture has been used in some of the most discussed buildings of the last decade for example in the Rem Koolhaas Public Library Seatle.  Quize has also designed for other leading furniture companies such as Dark and Moroso.

Since he founded Quinze & Milan they have used the slogan "Creators of Atmosphere" . The furniture is not the goal itself but a medium for a lifestyle that exagerates and challanges minimalism. It is wild, sexy, carefree, funny, loud and outrages.

Even the critical press greeted Arne Quinze as a "popstar of furniture" and the "bad boy of the design world" "a bit of punk, but also a bit of Prada. He now is considered as one of europes favorite designers.

In 2006 Quinze made a highly regarded sculpture for the Burning Man Festival in Nevada called "Uchronia". This gigantic sculpture was made of wood and nails and at the end tradionally set a flame.

When Quinze first heard of the projekt "die kunstbar" he was very enthused do to the  unique architecture of the building.

" I love unique architecture, I love unique design and I love unique bars",  said Quinze after seeing the location for the first time.

His creation EYE.C.U was presented on November 14, 2008 to the public.

Further informations on the following websites:

die kunstbar

Kölnischer Kunstverein

Arne Quinze