The Kaiser Friedrich restaurant in Essen is to be demolished.

The city of Essen does not seem to have a good hand for architectural history: in 2008, it crowned its “Day of Architecture” by blowing up Wilhelm Kreis’ Art Nouveau department store Althoff.

A similar action is now planned again: The traditional Art Nouveau inn “Kaiser Friedrich”, built in 1907 according to plans by local architect Alfred Heyn, is not worth the effort for the head of the municipal monument authority, Dr. Petra Beckers. She is of the opinion that the preservation of this building is “an issue of cityscape preservation, not monument preservation.” And furthermore: “We can’t save everything.”

In misjudging her genuine task of monument protection, it seems to her “increasingly important that buildings that are not monuments must be preserved by interested people by joining forces, acquiring these buildings, repairing them, etc. – completely without state direction. The responsibility for dealing with these buildings lies with the owners.”

Until recently, the inn was run as a good Italian restaurant. So there is no sign of neglect. Unfortunately, the building is currently empty. An application for demolition has already been submitted, but no application for entry in the list of monuments. Dr. Beckers is therefore unfortunately inclined to decide on the basis of the files.

The showroom of the FAB Architectural Bureau is located in a listed building of the former Sarotti chocolate factory. The modern, redesigned industrial complex is the ideal place to present the fine stone products of the manufacturers Graniti Fiandre, Porcelaingres and Ariostea.

The showroom of the FAB Architectural Bureau is located in a listed building of the former Sarotti chocolate factory. The modern, redesigned industrial complex is the ideal place to present the fine stone products of the manufacturers Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, Porcelaingres and Ariostea.

All three brands are part of the Iris Ceramica Group and specialize in high-quality porcelain stoneware tiles. What their products have in common is subtle aesthetics, low weight, maximum durability, frost resistance, lasting color fastness and high abrasion and break resistance. The tiles are easy to lay and the look of their surfaces ranges from marble and stone to concrete and cement to wood grain and monochrome solutions. Tiles up to 4.5 square meters in size enable the uniform design of large areas. The wide range of technical porcelain stoneware can be used to create indoor and outdoor areas, raised floors and a wide variety of furnishing elements.

Ariostea and Graniti Fiandre are based in Castellarano, 20 kilometers southwest of Modena. Ariostea specializes in ceramic tiles with a wood and natural stone look, among other things. Graniti Fiandre has an extensive range of tile solutions for floor and wall coverings, ranging from wellness and hotel areas to the medical sector. The Porcelaingres brand, which has been based in Vetschau, Brandenburg, since 2003, combines Italian style with German quality in its high-quality porcelain stoneware tiles.

All images: © Felix Löchner Architectural Photography

In the showroom of the FAB Architectural Bureau, the tiles are also shown in use, as the premises are also used to stage brand, design, architecture and art experiences. They have already served as a backdrop for award ceremonies, fashion shows, show cooking events, presentations and as a community and networking space.

Florian Sommer Heyblend