BauBuche seating in Berghain

Originally a trendy gay club, Berlin's Berghain has developed into one of the world's most iconic techno clubs over the past twelve years. People who get past the world's toughest bouncers are plunged into an unforgettable night of colourful characters and sweaty techno raves, and will only be spat out again once the morning sun is high in the sky.

The former power plant located between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain (hence the name) was almost completely gutted so that it could be used as a techno club, and now boasts four storeys of space for the club room itself as well as several bars, darkrooms, unisex toilets and a panorama bar on the top floor. Exposed, grey reinforced concrete, solid iron stairways and darkened windows create the setting for the city's hottest parties.

And since August 2015, BauBuche has been a part of Berghain too. The occasion was the three-day "Pop-Kultur" festival, which attracted over 10,000 people with its concerts, DJ sets, lectures and panel discussions. Berghain presented the ideal location for the festival – the only thing missing was practical and variable seating. But the event organiser Musicboard was not looking for just any old seats. For this event, and in particular for Berghain, something really special was needed that could not be found anywhere else. The decision was made in favour of BauBuche, an extremely sturdy and attractive material that fits the trendy Berlin location perfectly.

Berlin-based company "Studio Karhard" was commissioned with the design of the pieces, with joinery work being carried out by the workshop "PlanB". Heike Bischofberger, Berlin-born master joiner at PlanB, was impressed by BauBuche from the outset: "BauBuche is extremely good to work with – it's very stable, doesn't warp, and is therefore perfect for creating furniture that needs to be particularly resilient. And that may well be the case in Berghain."

A total of 48 large and small benches were produced for the festival, which can be easily stacked in a space-saving manner by means of a connector system. The design combines functionality with an elegant appearance: Despite the solid construction of the furniture, the sleek veneer layers break up the compact shapes and give the benches a sophisticated, elegant look. This creates an exciting contrast to Berghain's otherwise clear architecture and the rough, exposed interior design dominated by reinforced concrete.

Wood had almost never been used as a material at Berghain before this point; the existing seating is mainly made of concrete. This meant the organisers and the public were all the more impressed by the new furniture, which can be assembled in perfect harmony and arranged to meet any requirements.
The BauBuche furniture remains in Berghain following the festival.