Architect
moment-home
Markus Swittalek
Monika Zacherl

Architect / building permit
RH+Architekten

When Mike Yeh opens up a restaurant at the Franz Josefs-Kai, then it’s called myKai. Take away, restaurant and bar blend to a delicate melange – Italian espresso included.

For almost one hundred years this vaulted space was home to a cargo shipping company. The façade is an original ‘68 design, facing a 50 m² / 550 sf space which is linked to the public space outside via four openings. Deeper inside there are the storage and bathrooms situated.

The façade has got a face lifting, including a sliding window, which is critical for the opening of the interior space. The entrance area is flanked by a Raummöbel, which winds like a meander and links various functions. The end of the Raummöbel appears like a pennant. At this position the daily specials are written. The bend winds and turns into a bar, then it turns into a counter displaying the take away food and the winding goes on and the bend turns into a cupboard and finally into the pickup for the meals ready to serve.

Behind this special piece of furniture there are all kinds of cabinets needed for serving drinks and food. Next to the street front there is the kitchen and on the opposite end, almost hidden the dish washing area.   
The dining area is divided into three zones. The division is defined by the furniture. Bar area, high tables and regular tables – in the back there is a bench reaching wall to wall. Thanks to the high tables areas which are basically dedicated as traffic zones are desirable sitting areas and the space gets more intense.

Dark brown furniture contrasts with soft green of the delicate chairs which are linked to the color of the floor and the walls. The niches of the windows are flanked by mirrors, which smear the interface between outside and inside. People and cars in motion, trees and plants in change of seasons are dragged inside.

To bring nature into town - that’s one of the motives, which also can be envisioned by the piece of photo art composed specially for this specific space.