The Cube is the French Spiderman of fine dining and then some. A pair of pop-up restaurants commissioned by the Swedish appliance giant Electrolux, they're expected to travel across Europe, briefly perching atop famous buildings, monuments, and cliffs; apparently, one of 'em will even settle down in the middle of a lake. And we thought the whole pop-up phenomenon couldn't get any wilder...
Designed by the Italian architects Park Associati, the Cubes will feature a laser-cut aluminum skin, a dining room for 18, and a 538-square-foot terrace that affords stunning views of the surroundings. The first Cube opens April 1 on the arc of the Parc du Cinquantenaire (above). Then it'll move on, along with a companion Cube, to Italy, Russia, Switzerland, and Sweden.
We're dying to know how Electrolux got permission to do this (or who they had to sleep with).
The point? Like most pop-up shops it's a marketing scheme. The kitchen will come equipped with Electrolux appliances, on which chefs will whip up what the press release bills as a "show-cooking service." "Electrolux" will be emblazoned on the wall, if the renderings here are any indication, turning the whole thing into a big, shameless billboard (ick). But with the majestic scenery all around, we reckon people will hardly notice.
COMMENTARY: A great idea, a portable popup insta-restaurant that can literally popup anywhere, whether perched on a mountain cliff overlooking a valley below or a famous landmark building. This could be fun. Haven't seen anything like this since the famous Tree Restaurant.
The architects at Park Associati are quite a talented bunch with projects all over the world. Here's a brief overview.
Courtesy of an article dated March 10, 2011 appearing in Fast Company Design
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