A 19th-century industrial building in Barr has been imaginatively transformed into Enfin, a gastronomic destination. Led by Nara Architecture, the project honors the building’s industrial past, preserves its original spatial character, and introduces flexible, reversible contemporary interventions. The result is a fluid, inviting atmosphere where architecture and gastronomy converge seamlessly.
On the Alsace Wine Route in Barr, a 19th-century building—once a shoe factory and later a carpentry workshop—has been reborn as Enfin, a refined restaurant serving seasonal, locally sourced cuisine to an intimate audience of around 30 diners.
Nara Architecture approached the project with an ethos of authenticity and restraint. The design preserves the building’s original spatial qualities: the generous volumes, the patinated surfaces of wood, cast iron, and plaster, the exposed underside of the upper floor, and the thick-walled openings that punctuate the façade.
Contemporary interventions—carefully considered and entirely reversible—are woven into this historic fabric without overshadowing it.
At the heart of the space, the kitchen opens directly onto the dining area, fostering a tangible dialogue between chefs and guests.
Interiors are conceived as a continuous, flowing environment: the entrance, reception, and dining zones merge seamlessly, free of partitions, creating a welcoming, fluid experience.
Acoustic and thermal comfort is addressed subtly through felt-clad walls and carpeted floors at lower levels, while the upper sections retain their raw, industrial character, evoking the building’s layered history.
Custom-designed furniture, crafted by local artisans, reinforces the project’s commitment to harmony, sustainability, and material honesty.
The result is an architecture that elevates the culinary experience: the design and the cuisine coexist in a dynamic, mutually enhancing relationship.
Enfin exemplifies a sensitive, environmentally and regionally conscious approach to adaptive reuse, proving that historical preservation and contemporary gastronomy can coexist in perfect balance.
One year after opening, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, a testament to the success of this architectural and culinary collaboration.
Drawings
Facts & Credits
Title Enfin Restaurant
Typology Restaurant, Reuse, Refurbishment
Location Barr, France
Status Completed, 2021
Architecture Nara.
Photography Simone Bossi
Text by the authors
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