Hasta La Ideas

A spinning oven shaped like a giant disco ball is the centrepiece of this pizzeria in Vienna by Austrian architect Lukas Galehr (+ slideshow).

Covered in hundreds of tiny mirrored tiles, the spherical pizza oven is positioned amidst the dining area and is anchored to a central chimney that allows it pivot from its centre.

The restaurant lights are dimmed for the evenings and various coloured spotlights are directed onto the oven, causing scores of pink, green and blue dots to flood across the white walls and ceilings.

Named Disco Volante, which loosely translates as flying disc, the restaurant is otherwise modelled on an authentic Napoli pizzeria with a vaulted ceiling, smooth tiled floors and clean white walls.

Black mosaic tiles lines the walls of the pizza-making area and also cover the floor surrounding the service counter and bar.

Simple wooden chairs and benches provide rows of seating, giving most diners a clear view of the glittering central feature.

Lukas Galehr is a member of design collective MadameMohr, which includes five architects and one industrial designer.

Other pizzerias to feature on Dezeen include one surrounded by tin cans and one modelled on an Italian courtyard.

See more pizzerias on Dezeen »
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Here’s a short movie showing the spinning oven in action:

Photography is by Lukas Schaller.

Here’s a project description from the architect:

Disco Volante

The recently opened Pizzeria is the second of its kind hosted by Maria Fuchs, a vanguard in the recent “genuine pizza” hype in Vienna. The name “Disco Volante” brings back memories of the James Bond villain Emilio Largo’s escape vessel. Also a famous car designed in the early 50ies carried this name (there has recently been a relaunch by Alfa Romeo). But in fact does the name of the pizzeria simply refer to its original meaning “flying disc”.

According to the clients wish the restaurant should not only carry the atmosphere of a southern Italian pizzeria but also transport the lightness of the “Italo-Disco” era of the 1970s and 80s.

The heart of every pizzeria is the wood fired oven which in this case is a giant disco ball with a rotating mechanism. After the dough is run out the Pizzaioli start the engine and the oven begins to slowly turn with about 1 revolution per minute.

In charge of the design as well for most of the production of the oven was Vienna based madamemohr, a young architects and designers collaborative. Their goal is not to just design but also to fabricate where possible. In this case, the outer shell of the oven which is made from heat resistant concrete, was produced utilizing CNC-milling technology to build the spherical formwork.

The mechanism allowing the oven to rotate is hidden underneath the baking surface where the heat does not damage sensitive parts. The shell is covered with approximately 7500 special cut mirror tiles which were glued on site.

The ceiling of the former grocery store revealed an extra meter of height when removed. This additional space contributes to the canteen like feeling known from the overcrowded places in Naples drowned in neon light. Adding up to this harsh and rather uncomfortable environment are the former church benches as well as the chairs, typically found in Vienna’s city departments and the tables only leaving space for a pizza and a beverage each. These attributes might sound unusual for a restaurant but are key elements of the success of “Disco Volante”.

The waiters and waitresses are all wearing special designed overalls by fashion designer Milena Heussler & Luciano Raimondi and recall a mechanics outfit.

Responsible for the design of the Neon Sign as well as all print media are grafisches Büro, Vienna.

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London studio Blacksheep have completed a pizzeria for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver where a cinema listings board displays the menu and diners can watch chefs at work on vintage televisions.

Located in the Renzo-Piano-designed Central St. Giles Building in London, the Union Jacks restaurant has a brightly coloured neon sign inside that is visible through the glazed facade.

The two-storey restaurant also features retro-inspired chairs, as well as leather seating booths lit by glass pendant lamps.

Perforated panels line walls on both floors, providing places to affix shelf hinges and signage.

Blacksheep have completed a number of restaurant and bar interiors – click here to see a restaurant they designed with interactive projections on the tables.

Here’s some more information from Blacksheep:

Award winning design agency Blacksheep unveils Jamie Oliver’s new restaurant concept, Union Jacks

Blacksheep, one of the UK’s leading creative agencies, unveils the design of its latest project, Union Jacks, part of a continuing partnership with renowned British chef, Jamie Oliver. The new restaurant concept, located in the heart of London in Central St Giles, is the sixth project that Blacksheep has completed with Jamie Oliver, following a successful rollout of his first restaurant chain, Jamie’s Italian.

Union Jacks, situated in the iconic Lego building designed by architect, Renzo Piano, takes diners through a journey of discovery through Britain using familiar flavours, cooked and presented the Union Jacks way. The incredible flatbreads and wood-fired cooking methods nod to traditions that are universally loved and nearly all of the toppings are local. Setting the flatbreads apart from the array of other options on offer in Britain’s high street restaurant chains is Oliver’s partnership with US ‘pizza master’, Chris Bianco, widely credited as ‘the man who perfected dough’. It is a union of ideas, traditions and of people.

Blacksheep was brought on board once again to create a design concept that would take the Union Jacks experience countrywide. The design agency’s creative approach was to encompass the look and feel of the principle elements of the restaurant: service, food, theatre and ambiance. The agency worked hand-in-hand with Jamie. His love of British culture and heritage and his enthusiasm for encouraging the nation to eat better was a central theme for the interior design of the project.

Jo Sampson, Creative Director of Blacksheep, comments: “When working with Jamie, as with all our clients, we try and capture ‘him’, not a pastiche of his character or the best bits -simply his genuine spirit and honest approach to food and wider ethical concerns, and that is what is emulated in the design of Union Jacks.”

The spirit of Britishness is celebrated throughout Union Jacks; the food, the drink and the design are all underpinned by strong family values. There is a nod to yesteryear and subtle references to post-war nostalgia, including beralware-inspired plates with a cheeky twist that, when turned over, read “stop looking at my bottom”.



Above the bar and work station, a graphic neon multicoloured ‘Union Jacks’ sign sits above a large vintage cinema style board that displays the menu and specials.

The colour palette combines muted blue, brown, grey and pink with primary brights. Objects collected by Jamie on his travels inspired the space and retro elements that appear to be found trinkets have been made bespoke by Blacksheep and are dotted around the restaurant. Knitted 1970’s style tea cosies are found on the teapots on the café tables outside.

Graph paper is printed on counter tables, stools are reminiscent of a school science lab, while simple ‘wash-top’ wooden tables and chairs with basic metal frames are used elsewhere throughout the restaurant.

The lower ground floor is an intimate space with tables in booth settings. Antique TV screens are linked to cameras in the kitchen so diners can view the chefs at work. Bold graphics are painted on the walls and the menu uses old-school typewriter font.

Blacksheep’s biggest challenge was working within the existing building that would house the first Union Jacks restaurant. Specific guidelines had to be followed; the glass walls surrounding the space could not be covered so passers-by could see through it completely at any ground level vantage point. Blacksheep’s solution came in the form of a ‘canvas’ of three internal walls built to surround a central lift shaft. These walls were designed to act as a backdrop to working areas, and to house the wood-fired ovens, creating a visual experience for the diner.

The Union Jacks design is the result of Blacksheep rising to Jamie Oliver’s challenge seamlessly integrating his personal values into a functional restaurant space, working around the limitations of an architecturally complex building and creating a memorable dining experience for the great British public.