ACID P-BERG

ACID P-BERG is the Berlin outpost of Madrid-based specialty coffee brand Acid Café, located on a prominent corner facing Teutoburger Platz in Prenzlauer Berg. For this second Berlin location, Acid collaborated with Plantea Estudio, the studio behind their spatial identity.

The project sits within an existing ground-floor unit defined by exposed concrete, aluminum framing, and galvanized steel shutters, an architecture that is precise and coherent, but initially too impersonal for the kind of atmosphere Acid aims to create. The task was not to reinvent the space, but to adapt it into a place people would want to stay.

Plantea’s response begins with a single, defining gesture: a large chestnut wood structure placed along the back wall. This element brings together several functions, it encloses the staircase to the basement, integrates storage for bread and equipment, and supports a set of wooden speakers that shape the café’s sound environment. Rather than adding multiple scattered elements, the project concentrates its logic into this one core piece, giving the space both clarity and a distinct identity.

Directly in front of the wooden structure, a long counter in stainless steel and granite contains the café’s daily operations, from coffee preparation to pastry service. Its position defines how visitors move through the space: entering, ordering, and then transitioning naturally toward seating. Around this central axis, different seating options are arranged – a long bench, chestnut stools, and slim steel tables – allowing for both quick stops and longer stays. The layout is simple, but carefully balanced, making the space intuitive to use.

Closer to the façade, the atmosphere becomes softer and more tactile. A large square table near the entrance displays products under a delicate lamp by Ingo Maurer, while along the windows, chairs and tables by Frama introduce wood and textile surfaces. Overhead, ceramic pendant lights by Wendy Taylor add a warm, diffused glow. These elements work together to balance the rawness of the original architecture, creating a space that feels more approachable without losing its clarity.

At the back of the café, a shelving unit in steel and linen presents a curated selection of objects and artworks, including a large ceramic piece by Raúl Mouro. These details extend the project beyond pure function, adding texture and personality. ACID P-BERG becomes a place shaped not by one dominant gesture, but by a series of precise decisions, where architecture, furniture, light, and objects come together to form a calm, cohesive interior rooted in both Berlin and Acid’s identity.