Courtyard KW and Cafe Bravo, Berlin travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Somewhere in east Berlin, since 1997 KW Institute for Contemporary Art has been a venue and partner for the Berlin Biennale. The listed front building dating from the second half of the 18th century has one of the most striking courtyards in central Berlin with two new glass cubes: the Cafe Bravo.

You should really make it out for a coffee at Bravo an installation in its own right by artist Dan Graham and realized by architect Hanne Nalbach. The interior is, though the furniture has seen better days, as chic as the exterior with a palate of muted yellow, gray and blue furniture and a gigantic mirror which makes the place look twice as big. The food and service are no so good or fast, however the coffee and magazine selection is more than adequate, making Bravo a nice place to spend your Sunday.

Otherwise while chillin in Bravo, you can learn a few things about KW. The Kunst-Werke  is one of the most impressive contemporary art institutions in Berlin. Unlike many of its museum counterparts—of which it is not—the KW has no permanent collection, allowing for more innovation, collaborations, commissions and curatorial creativity.

Founded in the early 1990s in a refurbished margarine factory in Mitte, the KW boasts five floors of malleable space and a large courtyard for outdoor projects. After years of renovations, the KW opened its newly remodeled doors in the fall 1999. In addition to its significant gallery space, courtyard, and cafe, the building houses six artist studios where residencies and other opportunities are available.

Thanks to the creation of KW and Cafe Bravo was truly allowed for Berlin to be a primary art epicenter on the international art map. The outdoor area is, where every season atelier le balto creates a new gardening concept for the backyard by designing an interplay between nature and man-made construct.