carsten höller and we are ona unveil monochromatic dining experience during art basel paris

carsten höller and we are ona present immersive dining pop-up

For the 2024 edition of Art Basel Paris, the culinary studio We Are Ona partners with renowned artist Carsten Höller to create a striking monochromatic pop-up dining experience. Set in a historic Parisian train station, the exhibition-like project promises a fully immersive, black-and-white scenography—except for the food and drinks, which provide a vibrant contrast. The unique event is inspired by Höller’s Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto and is developed in collaboration with his restaurant, Brutalisten. Chefs Coen Dieleman and Stefan Eriksson bring the concept to life from October 14th to 20th. 

To learn more about this creative culinary collaboration, including the design, scenography, materiality, and overall concept of the pop-up, designboom spoke with Luca Pronzato, Founder and Creative Culinary Director of We Are Ona. ‘The entire restaurant will be designed in black and white,’ Pronzato explains. ‘The only colors will come from the food, the wine, and, of course, the guests themselves.’ Read on for a deeper dive into the project and Pronzato’s insights.

all images by Benoit Florençon, unless stated otherwise

a unicolor culinary experience at art basel paris

Coinciding with the 2024 Art Basel Paris fair, the pop-up takes place inside an iconic Parisian train station, where the Stockholm-based restaurant Brutalisten and culinary studio We Are Ona have crafted a striking unicolor experience. The immersive scenography is presented in black and white, with the only splashes of color coming from the food and drinks. The space features black chairs, gray napkins, gray uniforms, and white plates. Lighting experts from Flos have designed a stunning installation that enhances the atmosphere, while even the station’s windows are coated with special paint to maintain the monochrome aesthetic, as Pronzato explains. Chefs Coen Dieleman and Stefan Eriksson will present a six-course tasting menu for lunch and an eight-course menu for dinner, accompanied by a carefully curated beverage selection by Brutalisten and Luca Pronzato.

We Are Ona partners with Carsten Höller to create a monochromatic pop-up dining experience

interview with Luca Pronzato

designboom (DB): Can you share a bit about this collaboration with Carsten Höller? How did the idea for it come about? 

Luca Pronzato (LP): At We Are Ona, we create unique and ephemeral culinary experiences around the world. We organize pop-up restaurants and culinary events, often collaborating with luxury brands. Over the years, we’ve developed a program that brings our pop-up restaurants to various cities, often aligning with major events like art fairs, design fairs, and fashion weeks. We carefully curate not only chefs but also artists, designers, architects, and photographers, allowing them to express their vision through the We Are Ona culinary experience. They share their interpretation of the dining experience and service through their own creative lens. For this edition, we are extremely honored and excited to welcome Brutalisten restaurant from Stockholm and the artist Carsten Höller. Carsten is creating the scenography and has also brought an incredible manifesto based on his concept of cuisine called the Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto.

As for how this collaboration came about, we were fortunate that Brutalisten reached out to us last year. I used to work at Noma in Copenhagen, and one of the chefs there, who now works at Geranium, is a good friend. We’ve stayed in touch, following each other’s projects, and from there, the idea for this collaboration emerged. 

the project promises black-and-white scenography

DB: Walk us through the overall concept of the pop-up experience.

LP: We’ve been really fortunate to base this experience on the Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto, which is rooted in a very unique concept. One of the key ideas is to cook a dish using only salt and water, with just a single ingredient. The simplicity of cooking one ingredient with salt and water is central to the manifesto, allowing the essence of that ingredient to really shine. To enhance this concept, Carsten decided to create a restaurant that plays with chromatic contrasts. The entire restaurant will be designed in black and white, immersing guests in a monochromatic experience. The only colors present will come from the food, the wine, and, of course, the guests themselves. It’s one of those things where you either go all in or you don’t do it at all, so it requires a lot of precision. From the black tables to the black, white, and gray elements—everything needed to fit into this color palette. Carsten believes the gray tones are an essential extension of this concept, creating a certain atmosphere. So, we have black chairs, gray napkins, gray uniforms, and white plates.

We’ve been really fortunate to have Flos involved—they’re installing an incredible lighting installation throughout the space that complements and enhances the experience. Even the windows had to be covered with a special paint to maintain the monochrome setting. It’s really something special. The amount of work that goes into each of our pop-ups is huge. We put a lot of effort into respecting the scenography and creating an honest, fully immersive experience.

lighting experts from Flos have designed a stunning installation that enhances the atmosphere

DB: Can you tell us more about the location, the train station? 

LP: When we decide to do a pop-up in different cities with We Are Ona, we always make sure to respect the time and place. It’s important to us that the location represents the essence of the city we are in. This particular pop-up is really special because it’s set in a historic and iconic train station in Paris. Inside the station, there’s an old bank—a raw, untouched space—and that’s where we’ll be creating this experience.

the unique event is inspired by Höller’s Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto

DB: From old buildings to water reservoirs and now, a train station, your settings capture industrialism and the passing of time. How would you describe your approach to context-based scenography? 

LP: I’m a big fan of the idea of ‘time and place.’ I love the concept of guests connecting with the city—or even reconnecting with their own city, especially when it’s a place they’ve lived in for years. There’s something magical about pushing open a door and discovering a new way of seeing New York, Paris, or London through a culinary experience.

For visitors, it’s not just about the food but also about understanding the city they’re in, because the building itself represents the essence of that place. The culinary experience enhances this, almost like an art exhibition—but here, you’re living in the art. You consume the design, the art, and the space, making the experience alive and immersive.

For me, location is an extension of the geography we’re in. It’s the foundation of our work. Whether it’s a raw, industrial space, a historic palazzo in Venice, or a skyscraper in New York’s financial district, the location reflects the city we’re in. It’s not always about brutalist or raw spaces—it’s about finding venues that truly represent the city, and they’re often places that aren’t traditional restaurants.

DB: Is there a dream site you would like to take on at some point?

LP: That’s a tough question. If I had to choose a dream setting, something at the top of my list, it would definitely involve being close to nature—maybe on the water, on the sand, or even somewhere in Paris, blending the city with nature. And if we’re really dreaming big, I would like to do something on the moon!

chefs Coen Dieleman and Stefan Eriksson bring the concept to life

DB: Having been part of the industry for so long, what key ideas do you believe are essential to highlight when creating these unique scenography and culinary experiences?

LP: For me, culinary direction—or creative culinary direction—at We Are Ona is made up of two key elements: set design and culinary creativity. The set design includes the location, the table, the chairs, the lighting, and the overall atmosphere that creates the environment. Then, the culinary direction focuses on the chef’s choices, the service, and how the dishes are presented.

It’s important to understand that, for us, a culinary experience is the sum of all these details. It’s not just about the set design, or just about the food and service. It’s the combination of everything—carefully crafted down to the smallest detail—that makes the experience truly unique. One thing we prioritize is understanding the dimensions of the space and finding the right perspective. Perspective is incredibly important in how we create these immersive culinary experiences.

developed in collaboration with Brutalisten, Carsten Höller

special paint coats the station’s windows to maintain the monochrome aesthetic

the space features black chairs, gray napkins, gray uniforms, and white plates

Luca Pronzato and Carsten Höller | image by Pierre Björk

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the food and drinks are the only elements to provide a vibrant contrast | image by Pierre Björk

only splashes of color coming from food and drinks | image by Pierre Björk

a carefully curated beverage selection accompanies the food | image by Pierre Björk

chefs Coen Dieleman and Stefan Eriksson will present a six-course tasting menu | image by Pierre Björk

project info: 

name: We Are Ona x Brutalisten & The Brutalist Kitchen Manifesto by Carsten Höller

artist: We Are Ona | @we.are.ona in collaboration with Carsten Höller – Brutalisten | @brutalisten
location: 39 Bd de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris
dates: 14-20 October 2024