RAW:almond is a temporary restaurant situated on the confluence of two frozen rivers in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Originally conceived as an architectural collaborative installation by RAW:Gallery of Architecture and Design and deer+almond restaurant for one weekend, the event grew into a month long culinary arts festival showcasing 30+ chefs. Each year a new design is developed and built and chefs are flown in to take part in the multi-course tasting menu - on the ice. RAW:almond has been re-imagined in several locations in Manitoba, Churchill and Gimli as well as Tokyo, Japan.
In 2018 RAW:almond used reciprocal framing with plywood pieces to create two dinning halls, a kitchen and assembly area. The innovative design technique allowed the assembly to go from taking days to hours to complete. The flexibility of the system allows for on site adaptations to be easily made without compromising the integrity of the space.
Jon Reid Wolfrom Engineering, Simeon Rusnack