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ITO Restaurant
By : ITO Restaurant, Parkview Green. Mas Studio, Monique Lee
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Accommodation, Restaurant & Bar / Restaurant ≤ 1,600 sq.ft. (≤ 500 sq. m.) : Bronze Certification
Considering the brand’s feature of serving original Japanese cuisine in Beijing’s Parkview Green renowned as a hub of innovative thinking, the design focuses on going beyond traditional Japanese design norms. The interior design of Ito blends Chinese and Japanese garden influences with modern interpretations, immersing the space in cultural and seasonal imagery.
Storefront design incorporates Chinese “bamboo grove” and Japanese “Karesansui – dry landscape garden”. Adjustable steel bars are used to build a bamboo-like screen, while special paint and lighting effects represent a river’s flow. The reception counter is made of raw stones, and the wall features a machine-pressed bamboo pattern, alluding to a Karesansui garden.
Inside the restaurant, the concept of a Chinese ‘Siheyuan’ courtyard is employed in the atrium area, with open kitchens in the context of traditional Japanese engawa, while four private rooms are designed with a sense of ‘Zen’ – mystery, complemented by seasonal scenery.
Paths are laid on the floor to interconnect different parts of the restaurant. The four VIP rooms around the atrium are directly accessible from the entrance without going through the atrium dining space. Themed Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, are adorned with corresponding artworks and paintings of blossoms and auspicious creatures.
In the central part of the restaurant is the atrium. A Chinese courtyard idea is expressed through the Japanese “Karesansui” landscape. A modern decoration made with mirror stainless steel with a textured water pattern is built on the ceiling. Reflections of steel and LED lights simulate ripples. Suspended underneath are sculptures of high-gloss customized fish embellishments, creating a fish pond image. Translucent glass screens are installed to faintly separate this area from other dining sections, retaining a sense of privacy while maintaining visual comfort.
The open kitchens for robatayaki and teppanyaki are in the rear area. They are based on the concept of traditional Japanese “engawa”, emphasizing interactions among chefs and diners. Diners can chat freely there like chatting with families and friends in the open space under the eaves of traditional Japanese houses during leisure time.
Collaboration
