Park Associati

Milano is the second stop on the European tour of THE CUBE, a nomadic, stateless and cosmopolitan piece of architecture, a pavillion designed to host a small, temporary restaurant. Originating from Electrolux's concept of an itinerant restaurant, THE CUBE has been conceived and organized by the Belgian event agency Absolute Blue; the design of the pavilion, as well as the interior design, was developed by the Italian firm Park Associati, Milano; Logo and Texture Design by Studio FM Milano.

THE CUBE debuted in Brussels on the arc of the Parc du Cinquantenaire in April 2011 where it remained until July. From December 19 - April 26, 2012. THE CUBE will be in Milano and will house some of the best Italian star chefs who will perform live for their guests, offering special menus prepared in the kitchen of the restaurant.

The dining pavilion seats 18 people for lunch or dinner and offers a superlative view of Piazza del Duomo, just a few meters away from the Cathedral’s spires, facing Palazzo Reale and the Arengario, the area hosting the new Museo del Novecento.

Reservations are now available online at www.electrolux.it

Park Associati's architectural project has been conceived as a module that can be assembled and disassembled relatively easily. The structure is suitable for all climatic conditions, even the most extreme, while always providing the maximum in living comfort with its refined aesthetics and use of high-quality materials. The pavilion’s lightness of form is emphasized on the exterior by its white colour and given a sense of movement through the use of an aluminum “skin” that has been laser-cut to create a texture with a geometric design that covers the exterior surface. The base of the building, slightly raised with respect to the ground, accentuates the idea of lightness and cleanness of form that is characteristic the entire structure. Inside, more highly advanced technological solutions can be found in the lighting, heating, sound system and obviously, the kitchen equipment.

The interior of the THE CUBE has been designed to accommodate various configurations; the pavilion consists of a large open space with a visible kitchen and a single large table that can disappear by raising it to the ceiling, allowing space for a lounge area after dinner. The total floor area of 140 sqm is divided between the open space and a 50 sqm terrace. The employed materials are highly innovative in terms of technology, eco-sustainability and energy saving, as well as constantly reusable.

Michele de Lucchi comments on the project: “ It is one of those projects that open things up: in fact too often solutions resolve but do not leave space for the imagination, for innovation, for evolution. This ‘CUBE’ that is not actually a cube, has a great proactive force and immediately presents itself for what it is: defying the paralysis of thinking and the imagination.”