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Warm honey-toned timber defines the spatial envelope of this interior composition, establishing an atmosphere of organic warmth and contemporary refinement through the horizontal banding of wood plank
Warm timber slats orchestrate the ceiling plane in horizontal rhythmic repetition, creating a linear architectural canopy whose grain patterns and rich sienna-to-chestnut tonal gradations establish im
Warm honey-toned timber slats radiate rhythmically across the ceiling plane in this restaurant interior, establishing a dominant horizontal linear motif that creates both visual order and organic warm
Horizontal laminated timber planks envelop the ceiling plane in warm amber tones reminiscent of raw sienna and honey-inflected ochre, their parallel linear repetition establishing a rhythmic cadence t
Warm timber slats march rhythmically across the ceiling plane in Yuan Tu's Restaurant, establishing a compelling linear cadence that activates the upper register while defining the spatial envelope th

XTDZ Design

Bronze Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2026

Lemon Grass Restaurant

by Yuan Tu

  • A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
  • Awarded April 15, 2026
  • CLIENT: XTDZ Design
  • Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,346
  • Verification code 4F81914836 · Verify this award
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About Lemon Grass Restaurant

Lemon Grass is a mixed-use commercial interior in Sanya, China, combining a coffee area, a bar, and a restaurant across two levels. Folding doors and deep eaves blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, and preserved coconut trees provide natural shade. Local materials such as volcanic rock, sand-textured finishes, and rattan furniture reflect the tropical setting. Passive cooling and intelligent environmental control improve performance, creating a climate-adaptive space that unites function and regional character.

Yuan Tu's Restaurant demonstrates a masterful synthesis of material restraint and spatial generosity characteristic of contemporary hospitality design that honors vernacular craft traditions while achieving thoroughly modern spatial clarity and atmospheric warmth, situating this work within broader design conversations exploring the intersection of natural materiality, human-centered scale, and refined minimalism that have animated progressive restaurant design over recent decades, the designer's compositional strategy reveals sophisticated understanding of how horizontal linear rhythm can simultaneously articulate structure, create visual coherence, and generate atmospheric warmth through the consistent application of timber cladding across ceiling and wall planes, a technique that evokes the material warmth of Scandinavian and alpine traditions while maintaining the clean geometric precision associated with contemporary minimalist practice, the technical accomplishment evident in the millwork execution appears notable, with the uniform spacing and careful alignment of timber planks creating visual order without rigidity, suggesting meticulous fabrication and installation that allows the wood's natural variation in tone and grain to provide subtle organic relief within the geometric framework, the furniture selection demonstrates historical awareness and typological intelligence, with the bentwood café chairs serving as visual and cultural anchors that reference the enduring legacy of such seating traditions while their woven cane seats and backs introduce textural variation and tactile warmth that balances the architectural hardness of timber and concrete surfaces, the color strategy achieves chromatic sophistication through deliberate limitation, working within a closely related family of warm earth tones that create a cohesive, enveloping atmosphere while the white ceramic tableware provides essential tonal contrast preventing the composition from becoming monotonous, the lighting design appears carefully considered to balance functional illumination with atmospheric effect, combining recessed architectural fixtures with abundant natural light admission through the glazed wall, creating layered luminosity that shifts from bright clarity near the windows to more intimate warmth in interior zones, thematically the work seems to explore the essential conditions of conviviality and nourishment, creating an environment that honors the social ritual of shared meals through spatial arrangements that accommodate both intimate small gatherings at individual tables and the broader sense of collective experience within the unified room, the architectural threshold at center and the transparent connection to landscape beyond suggest intentional permeability between interior and exterior realms, perhaps inviting consideration of how dining spaces can maintain protective enclosure while remaining visually and psychologically connected to natural contexts, how might the careful orchestration of natural materials, measured proportions, and calibrated light create environments that elevate everyday rituals of gathering and nourishment into experiences of quiet beauty and human connection?

Press Kit

Unique Properties
This project creates a leisure space in Sanya through mixed-use formats. Daytime coffee and nighttime drinks on the first floor shift via folding doors, while an independent restaurant upstairs offers intimacy. Preserved coconut groves, shaded eaves, and local volcanic rock and sand-textured walls bring tropical charm. Passive cooling and community activity planning enhance climate adaptability and sustainability, embodying locality, flexibility, and ecological symbiosis.
Dimensions & Packaging
Tailored for the tropical coast, folding aluminum doors use Low-E glass, roof eaves are sun-optimized, and wall insulation pairs with VRV AC and carbon dioxide-sensing fresh air systems. Volcanic rock counters and fluorocarbon-coated panels resist salt and corrosion. Intelligent systems link environmental monitoring, electric shading, and energy control, ensuring technical integration enhances spatial quality and operational efficiency.
Tags
Interior Design, Commercial Space, Leisure, Mixed-use Business Format, Coffee, Bar, Restaurant, Sustainability, Sanya, Locality
Production Technology
Rooted in Hainan's climate and culture, local volcanic rock forms the bar, wood-grain aluminum panels add warmth with moisture resistance, and sand-textured walls enhance breathability. Soft furnishings use treated solid wood and local rattan for durability. Preserved coconut trees, permeable paving, corrosion- and termite-resistant wood, and rustproof metal join natural ventilation and shading to build a low-maintenance sustainable space.
Design Challenge
The mix of daytime coffee, nighttime drinks, and an upstairs restaurant maximizes space. Folding doors and coconut grove shading offer climate-adaptive design, while volcanic rock bars and wood-grain aluminum add local warmth. Courtyard and roof blur boundaries for interaction. Future smart doors and mist cooling will further balance flexibility, ecology, and cultural expression to enhance user experience.
Project Duration
The project started in July 2023 and finished in October 2023 in China.
Operation Flow
BIM design aligned structure and landscape to preserve trees, while on-site sample testing avoided rework. Steel structures and custom furniture were fabricated simultaneously, artistic paint tested after hidden works, and doors installed alongside smart debugging. Parallel workflows cut construction time by 30 percent, and real-scene sampling ensured design effects, unifying architecture, nature, function, and aesthetics.
Research
Rooted in Sanya's climate and mixed-use demands, this study used site surveys, climate data, BIM modeling, and material testing with architects, craftsmen, and operators. Results show folding doors cut energy use 28 percent, local materials boost identity, and day-night switching raises efficiency 45 percent. This sets new tropical design standards, proving localized strategies unite value, benefit, and innovation.
Inspiration
Inspired by Hainan's tropical scenery and slow life, the design draws on Sanya's sea breezes and coconut groves. Traditional open structures guide the use of operable doors, windows, and shading eaves to blur indoors and outdoors. Southeast Asian layouts and Li-style materials like volcanic rock and wood shape a tropical tone. Day-night commercial layering and preserved vegetation reflect local nature, culture, and commerce.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer XTDZ DESIGN, Lemon Grass, 2023.
Image #2: Photographer XTDZ DESIGN, Lemon Grass, 2023.
Image #3: Photographer XTDZ DESIGN, Lemon Grass, 2023.
Image #4: Photographer XTDZ DESIGN, Lemon Grass, 2023.
Image #5: Photographer XTDZ DESIGN, Lemon Grass, 2023.

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