The entire place has been made out of recyclable materials as "a place to ponder your impact on the planet". Roof insulation comes from hay bales; chairs are fashioned from old traffic signs; tables rest on old fire hydrant covers; muffins and cakes come on reclaimed particle boards; cocktails and coffees arrive in old jam jars; hot chips are piled into terra cotta flower pots; and much of the herbs, baby vegetables and edible flowers used by the kitchen are grown in a garden planted on the roof.

It’s surprising, inventive and very, very charming, with a huge part of the charm coming from the fact that it is as sustainable as humanly possible. A huge well-done to all concerned - this may appear as a temporary installation, but in fact, it shows us creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Suddenly, permanent restaurants seem so unsustainable.

Greenhouse, Federation Square Melbourne until January 29, 2009.