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MIA ITALIAN TAPAS + BAR

Reach Architects | Program: Italian Restaurant | 2886 ft2 | Status: Completed
Austin, Texas | Role: Project Manager/Lead Designer | March 2015 

“Rather than elaborating solely on the more facile comparison of ‘like an architect,

so too the chef,’ we propose that the rituals of dining, the design of meals, and the

process of cookery form and inform a distinctly expressive architecture.”
          --Jamie Horwitz, Eating Architecture

MIA is a modern Italian tapas restaurant and bar, named after the owner’s daughter. The restaurant is part of the most recent urban expansion at The Domain, a mixed used development in North Austin. Nestled on Rock Rose Avenue, MIA is neighboring to many other popular restaurants and bars. Starting as an empty masonry and steel frame shell, the design was influenced by industrial craft and the use of simple raw materials. Reclaimed wood, corten steel and a rustic brick are the main materials used. The chinmey flues serve as a divider between the waiting and dining area. The lighting fixtures emulate the handmade noodles that drape the chef's hands everyday. The exterior storefront and signage creates individuality, contributing to the overall character of the street presence. Design and construction documents were done within a month, with construction taking 6 months.

Floor Plan

Elevation

Signage

Interior Dining

Chimney Flues

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