by Ashlyn Davis: Finally! A concept that doesn’t look completely terrifying…
Amsterdam has given us a glimmer of hope with this greenhouse dining concept. While concepts like glass tanning boxes were starting to make us feel a little uneasy about the future, these are more aligned to the highly popular, pop-up igloos that toured the world—except these have a little more charm.
If there’s one thing we’re missing, it’s the simple pleasures of socializing with friends and dining out. However, navigating the post-lockdown world may be more difficult for restaurants and bars than any other businesses. In China, plastic screens dividing diners have already been put in place in some major chains, but if we start to feel like inmates at a cafeteria it sort of defeats the purpose.
So, it comes as a great relief to see a little inspiration coming from the waterside vegan restaurant, Mediamatic Eten, in Amsterdam.
Diners will be seated inside one of the ‘Serres Séparées’—what they call the new glass concept houses— which can accommodate two people comfortably, or three at a push. Of course, solo diners are welcome too. Long wooden planks are used to serve diners, which is a simple but clever way of ensuring staff can maintain a 6-foot distance.
The result is an intimate moment outdoors that still allows guests to practice social distancing. The breathtaking, interrupted views are quite key too. Although this is still in the testing phase until it gets approval from authorities, it does give us a more positive outlook of what dining could look like.
Mediamatic Eten is the restaurant arm of Mediamatic Biotoop, an entrepreneurship center that bridges the arts, nature, design and society.
