RamienGo
Vienna, Austria
Restaurant
Completion October 2012
RamienGo is a restaurant in Vienna's new Wien Mitte train station and shopping center. It is the latest outlet of the well known Ramien group, famous for their contemporary approach to Souteast Asian and Chinese cuisine. The restaurant occupies part of a larger food court on the first floor of the shopping center. It features a hanging ceiling installation composed of 466 aluminum tubes. Each aluminum tube represents a distinct curve. The 3D, free form bends were fabricated off-site with CNC tube bending machines specifically fitted for this project. The tubes are powder-coated and capped with a round end. They are attached to a steel beam that hangs from the concrete slab, spanning a total length of 33 meters. The steel beam acts a structural 'spine' for the aluminum tubes and bends in relation to the overall shape. At one end, the spine flips, bends down and warps around a thick concrete column, torquing the aluminum tubes nearly 90 degrees, and in the process, opening the shape to passersby. The shape and color of the ceiling pays homage to the existing design identity of the Ramien restaurants. It is also the outcome of a larger design process that began as a prototype study (see RamienD). However, what started as a prototype also had to adapt to a very specific site. A key aspect of the design is the way the geometry is expressed. Rather than render the shape a seamless shell, it was important to expose the structural components and the mode of fabrication. The shape is not only an eye-catcher in an environment where the senses are overloaded with other stimuli, but it also provides a porous enclosure that separates the restaurant from the rest of the noise. Above the tubes, the ductwork is purposely left exposed. Spot lighting is attached to the steel spine. Below the tubes, the restaurant is delineated by a grey poured epoxy floor and a shallow steel railing. Structural concrete is left exposed. The kitchen is a functional stainless steel block. The furnishings are a combination of Corian table tops, wooden benches, and bleached wooden chairs.
Client: Yang & Ngo GmbH
Location: Vienna, Austria
Principal use: Restaurant
Total floor area: 230 m2
Number of stories: 1Design team: Chieh-shu Tzou, Gregorio S. Lubroth
Consultants: Quirin Krumbholz (Madame Mohr), Peter Mattle (Pemat AG), Rainer Schmircher
Photos by Stefan Zenzmaier