Milchbar 03 Club
Three Dimensional Art Architecture
In 2003, the third evolution of the iconic Milchbar materialized within a former industrial factory hall on Munich’s historic Optimolgelände. The architectural concept transforms the voluminous production site into an immersive, three-dimensional piece of spatial art, while deliberately preserving the raw character of the soaring hall and its industrial facade.
Access to the club is granted through a meticulously restored, historic iron gate. As the two high, rust-patinated door wings swing open, the gaze is immediately captured by a sculptural entrance: a vibrant red light cube constructed from glass, its surfaces treated with a specialized silkscreen-printing technique to achieve a velvety, ultra-matte finish, serving as an exclusive foyer for waiting guests. Inside, traditional architecture dissolves into a Total Spatial Artwork. The corporate identity established by Suzanne Faltenbacher since the inception of the very first Milchbar was innovatively reimagined by her and Daniel Kronwinkler, executed in a progressive visual language. Consequently, the signature red lighting design achieves an entirely new, ethereal and spherical intensity at this location.
The functional and visual epicenter of the 6-meter-high loft is anchored by a groundbreaking monument of custom furniture design: an oval, seamless bar counter extending over 16 meters in length, positioned centrally without a single visible joint. Its fluid contours evoke the sleek lines of a racing yacht. For its construction, the designers selected the premium solid-surface material Corian—a choice that, at the time, was predominantly reserved for specialized medical environments. Devoid of any seams, welds, or technical hardware connections, this monumental sculpture continually mystifies guests. Integrated directly into this long-stretched bar is an elevated DJ platform, positioning the artist as the supreme conductor of the night’s soundtrack. For the bartenders, custom fluid-shaped basins were integrated into the core of the bar, filled nightly with ice to aesthetically present the chilled beverages.
While the bar structure is finished in a sophisticated off-white, the entire surrounding shell—walls, ceiling, and the continuous flooring—is enveloped in a rich, deep dark brown. The climate ventilation systems vanish completely behind wall constructions, leaving only precise circular nozzles to indicate the mechanical integration. To achieve pristine room acoustics within the cavernous hall, specific wall segments feature round-perforated sound-absorbing panels.
As the defining crown of this Architectural Scenography, studioacht engineered a monumental kinetic light installation suspended above the bar: extending across 14.7 meters, custom-stamped circular Makrolon discs hover almost invisibly from the ceiling on ultra-fine threads. The open inner radius of this floating matrix is pierced by a 15-meter-long linear horizon of red fluorescent tubes, anchoring the venue's enduring brand identity within a mesmerizing light sculpture.
Achitectural Scenography: Suzanne Faltenbacher
Creative Direction: Suzanne Faltenbacher x Daniel Kronwinkler
Corporate Identity: Suzanne Faltenbacher
Scope: Custom Spatial Synthesis, Site-specific Light Art & Lighting Scenography, Site-specific sculptural objects
Dimension: 210 sqm
Location: Munich, Germany