Locations #2

In the very south-west of Saxony lies the small spa town of Bad Brambach, right next to the Czech border. In 1910, the town discovers a new spring with an extraordinarily high radium concentration, and spa guests soon come from all over Europe. The spa gardens are surrounded by a beautiful and dense forest. One of the few paths leads over the Röthenbach bridge and directly to the Waldcafé, which was built in 1934 as a wooden dodecagonal pavilion. From here, large windows open up a stunning view into the valley, and the roof construction looks like a mighty treetop inside the house.

After the Second World War, the Waldcafé is let to rent. When the Prague Spring in neighbouring Czechoslovakia ends with troops and tanks, the GDR government orders the closure of all pubs and cafés near the border. In 1971 things start to look up again, but in the 1990s the café has to close down for good. Nothing happens for quite a long time, but finally a couple falls in love with the extravagant building in search of a new home. With a lot of effort, attention to detail and environmentally friendly standards, they create a connection between historic building fabric and future-oriented sustainability. What a beautiful place.