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Mika Kanayama's Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant presents a masterfully orchestrated interior environment where deep charcoal walls establish a dramatic tonal foundation against which warm…
Warm caramel-toned upholstered banquettes form a continuous horizontal band across the lower third of the composition, their rich cognac-brown leather surfaces exhibiting subtle tufting that creates…
Mika Kanayama's Modern Japanese Restaurant presents a sophisticated interplay of industrial and natural elements within a compressed horizontal composition, where the warm amber glow of leather…
Mika Kanayama's Modern Japanese Restaurant interior reveals a sophisticated interplay of geometric precision and atmospheric warmth anchored by a dominant horizontal bar counter surfaced in deep…
A cluster of luminous paper-lantern forms dominates the left two-thirds of the spatial composition, presenting overlapping circular and fan-shaped structures rendered in warm ivory and cream tones…

Silver Interior · 2024

Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant

by Mika Kanayama

  • Silver A' Design Award 2024 in Interior
  • CLIENT: Muzo
  • Estimated Number of Design Views: 23,656
  • Verification code 0574143095 · Verify this award
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About Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant

Oita Soho was designed to create a sophisticated, relaxing space with Japanese influences and carrying some of the identity established in Oita’s first restaurant, informal and verdant with plants throughout. The space required more than the conventional approaches of minimalistic modern Japanese design to deliver a distinct, remarkable experience that is a synthesis of aesthetic and cultural elements. The work was inspired by the Tanizaki essay "In Praise of Shadows" which discusses the use, meaning and aesthetics of darkness and shadows in Japanese art, design and architecture.

About the Silver A' Design Award

Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
It was designed to create a sophisticated, relaxing space with Japanese influences, and carrying some of the identity established in Oita's first restaurant, informal and verdant with plants throughout the space. The space required more than the conventional approaches of minimalistic modern Japanese design to deliver a distinct, remarkable experience that is a synthesis of aesthetic and cultural elements.

The space required more than the conventional approaches of minimalistic modern Japanese design, to deliver a distinct, remarkable experience that is a synthesis of aesthetic and cultural elements.Backlit paper parasols are placed overlapping in a flowing pattern that follows the stairs creating a feature wall to surprise and delight leading visitors to the upper level. The warm light of the parasols is accentuated in the dark. Lighting is careful and muted throughout relying on position and shades. Two mirrors placed parallel in opposite directions reflect the lights infinitely in their depths, adding to the glow and mystery of the space.
Dimensions & Packaging
The area of project is
Ground Floor - 67sqm
First Floor - 69sqm
Tags
Japanese restaurant design, muzo, Oita, interior design, restaurant design, Japanese design, chinatown
Production Technology
Grade II Listed Building
Material: Fire retardant timber & veneered oak MDF throughout.
Design Challenge
As it was a Grade II listed building, the history of the premises was researched in depth prior to work. Great consideration was given at design stage and fit-out work was carried out carefully. Any finishes that needed repairing was matched to the original finish.
Research
The space is abundant with plants and botanical imagery bringing a sense of exotic night garden or conservatory. Artworks by Imao Keinen featuring birds in seasonal settings with plants and flowers feature throughout, furthering the theme, Keinen’s masterful use of colours is utilised to play with the décor palette introducing flashes of bright colour that are echoed elsewhere, harmonising with the greenery and midnight shades to effect a unique, spectral contrast. The effect has almost the feeling of Japanese lacquerware artwork made real where living forms are presented luminously against the deep dark of lacquer surfaces.
Inspiration
The work was inspired by the Tanizaki essay 'In Praise of Shadows' which discusses the use, meaning and aesthetics of darkness and shadows in Japanese art, design and architecture.
Project Duration
The project was completed in January 2023 in London.
Operation Flow
Backlit paper parasols are placed overlapping in a flowing pattern that follows the stairs creating a feature wall to surprise and delight leading visitors to the upper level. The warm light of the parasols is accentuated in the dark.
Lighting is careful and muted throughout relying on position and shades.
Two mirrors placed parallel in opposite directions reflect the lights infinitely in their depths, adding to the glow and mystery of the space.
Patents
Copyrights belong to Muzo, 2023
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Sara Hibbert
Image #2: Photographer Sara Hibbert
Image #3: Photographer Sara Hibbert
Image #4: Photographer Sara Hibbert
Image #5: Photographer Sara Hibbert

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