A Moment Held by Ice

DRIFT is located on a truly unique site—perched directly on the frozen surface of the river at the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, in the heart of a harsh Canadian winter. This extraordinary and temporary location not only amplifies the ephemeral nature of the pop-up concept but also offers a striking and immersive setting unlike any other. MO was asked to design a temporary fine dining restaurant for an internationally renowned Michelin-starred chef—one that could exist only for a brief moment in the coldest part of the year, and only in this exact place.

DRIFT embraces the extreme conditions of winter and uses this juxtaposition of place to challenge and reimagine the fine dining experience. The budget was tight, the fire safety standards rigorous, and the structure had to be light enough for the ice below to support it. These constraints drove our creative response. Drawing from the metaphor of an "umbrella" structure, we developed a spatial layout inspired by the invisible forces where the two rivers collide—an arrangement that captures a sense of fluid movement and flow, echoing the dynamic natural environment beneath the ice.

The concept of temporary or pop-up establishments adds new dimensions to many of our most static social and cultural spaces. These spaces—brief, transformative, and site-specific—create a rich terrain for design exploration. An essential part of crafting these experiences is designing for the environments they occupy. Our design, using only steel tube and fireproof tarp, synthesized both functional and aesthetic considerations.

Environmental conditions and the transient nature of the concept were foremost in our minds: How do we keep people warm in sub-zero temperatures using only metal tubes and fabric? How do we make a structure that’s easy to transport and quick to build? We responded by creating a series of modular spaceframes that define the restaurant’s boundary and serve both as circulation paths and utility zones. Dining spaces rotate outward from a central kitchen module, and a small, enclosed plywood entry volume accommodates a hostess station, storage, and waiting area.

Inside the main tent structure, sculptural forms of fireproofed, reflective metallic tarp are tensioned between the structural tubes. These serve as both thermal insulation and key visual elements—playing with light, reflection, and texture in ways that animate the interior and define the dining experience.

DRIFT represented a remarkable opportunity to explore the limits of site, material, and temporality. Our intention was to create something that rises naturally from the frozen landscape—a structure that feels both unexpected and entirely at home, inviting people into a fleeting yet unforgettable moment at the heart of winter.

PROJECT TEAM: COLBY MAYES, TREVOR KIDD, JUNSUKE SATO, BORNA KHALILNASSAB, APRIL HUTCHINGS