Din Tai Fung at Downtown Disney
Calif.
BEST PROJECT
Presented by PCL construction
owner Rothschild Downes
Leading design company Rockwell Group
General Contractor PCL construction
Road engineer Psalms
Structural Engineer Thorson Baker
MEP engineer Thorson Baker
Special works, plaster, plaster Caston Inc.
Specialty Milling, Finishing, Carpentry Pacific Architectural Woodworking Inc.
This two-story, $21 million restaurant is Din Tai Fung’s first U.S. location, featuring a precision-crafted interior with design elements that pay homage to the company’s Taiwanese heritage. The special finishes installed in this restaurant required advanced sequencing, tight tolerances and commercial integration.
The restaurant’s unusual vertical kitchen configuration required the installation of a two-story mount system, an increasingly uncommon feature in modern restaurant construction. This custom transportation system was essential to the restaurant’s operating model, connecting food preparation on level 2 with active kitchen and service on level 1. Because few subcontractors build or regularly inspect coasters today, the project team brought in a subject matter expert early in design development.
During the installation of the riser, the team adopted a strategy modeled after the elevator construction by omitting the metal-framed front walls of the shaft. This allowed direct access to the interior of the shaft for correct alignment and connection of the mechanical components. Once installed and tested, the walls were reinstalled to preserve the architectural finish and support continued fire rating.
Photo by Paul Turang Photography
While preparing the foundation, the team discovered that the City of Anaheim unexpectedly required a line and grade survey and a structural observation report prior to the first concrete placement. This requirement was not typical of this area or jurisdiction. With critical path work at stake, the team coordinated directly with Cleveland’s structural engineer via live video inspections and completed both requirements within 48 hours. Based on the original plan to pour foundations over several days, the team placed the entire foundation in a single day (more than 367 cubic meters of concrete in 9.5 hours), saving time, costs and a second pump mobilization.
Photo by Paul Turang Photography
Throughout construction, the complexity of the millwork and finishing of the project introduced additional challenges. Almost every interior surface connected with curved architectural elements, custom stone or integrated lighting required zero-tolerance coordination between the trades. Every element, from curved reception desks to sheet metal wall panels and gilded glass frames, was prefabricated, dry-fitted and checked for quality.
A gold-framed dumpling kitchen viewing window was one such focal point. Its alignment with the wall and adjacent wall systems required precise field measurements, scenic sequencing and close collaboration between the work makers, glaziers and finish carpenters.
Photo by Paul Turang Photography
Plaster and drywall, which added another $2.1 million in finish trade value, included a custom wall plaster system designed to mimic real wood. These scopes were organized and installed by zones to minimize congestion and protect the finished work.
The team delivered the project on time, on budget and without safety incidents and without the use of the owner’s contingency in June 2024.
