New coffee bar for Moderna Museet

In 2002, Marge Arkitekter was commissioned to design a new interior for Moderna Museet’s public areas. To provide a contrast to Rafael Moneo’s original building design, low-budget materials were used for the interior, applied with a high level of craftsmanship.

The new coffee bar, which was completed in 2019, builds on the original ideas. The design is cohesive and unadorned with sparse use of colour and materials. The counter is made of sheets of fibre cement, a durable composite material commonly used to clad façades. Here, the surface is waxed to withstand spills and wear and tear. The copper strips that hold the sheets in place give the coffee bar its own, distinct expression.