Photography: Tõnu Tunnel
An imposing rammed earth table forms the centrepiece of Restaurant 0, an eco-friendly pop-up in Viljandi, Estonia.
Design studio kuidas.works created the temporary restaurant as part of the TV show Restaurant Null – the team had a week to design a pop-up space with zero budget and zero carbon footprint.
The studio took over an abandoned sausage shop in the town, located in southern Estonia. The crumbling space was largely left alone, with exposed brickwork, weathered beams and pane-less windows forming the backdrop to Restaurant 0.
Kuidas.works created an impressive, 15-tonne communal table using locally sourced clay that has been dried, sieved through an old mattress frame, and then rammed into place. Its variations of yellow and ochre are emphasised by the process, creating a striped pattern on the side of the table.
Even tableware was made from recycled materials, with floorboards turned into trays and glass jars turned into bowls. According to the studio, the vast majority of the restaurant is recyclable, including the rammed earth table, which will slowly disintegrate over time. Restaurant 0 was open for one night only and hosted 12 guests around its table, but the ephemeral space offers inspiration and insight into how sustainable practices could be better incorporated into hospitality design.
