BEYOND TASTE: DESIGNING THE FUTURE OF IMMERSIVE DINING
The new Restaurant at BMW Welt: The Cloud by Käfer
Starting June 26th 2025, Munich welcomed a new kind of experiential dining: THE CLOUD by Käfer. In close collaboration with the gastronomy experts at Käfer, our Designworks Munich team redesigned the restaurant at BMW Welt – BMW’s delivery and brand experience center. We developed a spatial concept and narrative designed to leave a lasting impression on guests, long after their visit.
For THE CLOUD, our team has created a place where gastronomy and design merge into a shared experience — an environment that resonates not only through its cuisine, but through its atmosphere: light and suspended like a airy cloud. The space is conceived as a canvas – open, calm, and immersive. A place where sensations and memories unfold freely.
ASCEND TO THE CLOUD
Ascend to a space suspended within BMW Welt and step into an environment where intense aromas, refined textures, and culinary stories from far-off lands await. We begin the journey by exploring the seven core design elements that define the restaurant experience: Our seven Supersigns.
A JOURNEY THROUGH SEVEN SUPERSIGNS
The evening begins high above the city — on Moon Island, where the light and artwork stage the passing of time, from golden hour to blue hour. Guests then move through the Biophilic Bar and the Slim Bar, both inspired by dune-like forms — discovery zones inviting immersion into the world of “Culinary Nomadism” – the concept at the heart of the gastronomic experience.
As guests pass the Chef’s Atelier and enter the main dining area, a floating cloud installation forms the centrepiece — soft, translucent, and in constant motion. Seating unfolds across varied zones: open with expansive views, or intimate and sheltered. A five-ton stone monolith becomes the stage for live plating. Behind it: the Cold Kitchen Prism — a semi-transparent mirrored surface that reveals only fleeting gestures of the staff as they conjure the evening’s delights.
Tableware, surfaces, and a curated selection of objects reflect the origins of the ingredients, making the gastronomic concept of Culinary Nomadism tangible — even to the touch. The space becomes a stage for what is told, cooked, and felt.
“An elegant narrative of culinary nomadism — each Supersign carefully curated to evoke a distinct sensation. Together, they form a journey of anticipation.”
Driven by Collaboration
To bring our bold idea to life, we assembled and curated a dynamic lineup of creatives. Specially commissioned AI-generated artworks by Oscar Zabala add to the atmosphere of wonder that lingers with diners long after they leave this thought-provoking venue. Throughout the development process, leading innovators from the international design community—including architectural studio Hildmann Wilke, pioneering textile company Jakob Schlaepfer, and German lighting specialists Occhio—provided impulses and diverse perspectives, ensuring a truly unforgettable result.
What’s on the menu? Culinary Nomadism.
Käfer’s team will serve a fusion of high-quality local products and international ingredients. World-renowned chef Jens Madsen created this cuisine to reflect his travel experiences. In 2025, THE CLOUD will feature dishes inspired by South and East African flavors, Baltic purity, Latin fire, and other culinary influences from around the globe.
“I take things that touch me or change my thinking on my travels, and I make them part of my cuisine.”
