Laolao Central Restaurant

LAOLAO CENTRAL RESTAURANT

Tzou Lubroth Architekten

Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum

MANUFACTURERS
Liquid Floors, Neon Line

METALWORKS
Schmuck Metallbau

LIGHTING CONSULTANT
Xal

DESIGN TEAM
Gregorio S. Lubroth, Chieh-shu Tzou, Ondřej Mráz

CARPENTRY
Brohmann Tischlerei

CLIENT
Qiu & Hu Gastronomie Und Holding Gmbh

PHOTOGRAPHS
Vilma Pflaum

AREA
40 M²

YEAR
2022

LOCATION
Vienna, Austria

CATEGORY
Restaurant

Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum

Riding on the success of their first location on the busy Mariahilfer Strasse in Vienna’s 7th district, the Laolao group decided to get a foothold in the city center.

Laolao Centrale occupies a small storefront in the Hochhaus Herrengasse, Vienna’s first tall building from the 1930s.

In keeping with the culinary concept of high-quality homemade Chinese noodles and gyoza, we wanted to bring the street into the building, and not just any street but the energy and atmosphere of the Asian night market.

Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum
Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum
Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum

The narrow space is organized around three furniture volumes, two of which directly reference night market stands.

The third volume houses the cashier and a drink vitrine and is clad in the same cementitious spackle covering the floor and walls.

The uniformity of the surrounding surfaces creates an opportunity for the market stands to sand out.They are free-standing, stainless steel constructions, partially covered in steel mesh and colorful neon graphics.

Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum
Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum
Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum

They act as small stages, visible from the street, where the gyoza and noodle chefs can show off their craft.

An understated seating area with bolted steel tables and lean-to stools accommodates a handful of guests on the go.


Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum
Laolao Central Restaurant
© Vilma Pflaum


Laolao Central Restaurant
Diagram 1
Laolao Central Restaurant
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Laolao Central Restaurant
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Laolao Central Restaurant
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Laolao Central Restaurant
Floor Plan
Laolao Central Restaurant
Sections