Silver Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2023
Stonesal Restaurant
by Jeffrey Zee
- A' Design Award 2023 Silver Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: JFR Studio
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,788
- Verification code F50F9E8FBD · Verify this award
About Stonesal Restaurant
Located in the trendy Nanshan district of Shenzhen, also known as the Silicon Valley of China, Stonesal is a restaurant composed of an interior space of 850 square meters and a lush outdoor patio area of 450 square meters with a total capacity of around 140 seats. Main design features include the double height dry aging room, the octopus translucent central bar, a generous open kitchen, a mezzanine wine showcase, 5 private VIP rooms, and the main dining area with a ceiling height of 5 meters.
Jeffrey Zee's Stonesal Restaurant represents a distinguished contribution to contemporary hospitality design, synthesizing classical architectural vocabularies with refined modern sensibilities to create an environment of cultivated sophistication. The interior demonstrates exceptional command of spatial choreography, guiding visitors through a carefully orchestrated progression from arrival to dining experience, with each zone distinguished by thoughtful material selections and lighting strategies that reinforce programmatic transitions while maintaining holistic visual coherence. The designer appears to draw upon early twentieth-century precedents, particularly the geometric elegance associated with Art Deco interiors, reinterpreting these references through a contemporary lens that emphasizes warmth, textural richness, and intimate scale despite the generous spatial volume. The ceiling treatment merits particular attention: stepped planes finished in subtle rose-gray tones frame the central luminaire, itself a masterwork of proportional refinement that transforms functional lighting into architectural sculpture. The juxtaposition of materials speaks to a sophisticated understanding of tactile experience, rough stone walls creating compelling dialogue with polished marble, burnished bronze, and supple upholstery. The suspended sculptural figure introduces an element of poetic aspiration, suggesting themes of transcendence and elevation appropriate to spaces designed for gathering, celebration, and nourishment. The illuminated mezzanine gallery lined with display cases evokes traditions of the wunderkammer or cabinet of curiosities, inviting speculation about the treasures within while contributing to the layered visual complexity. Throughout, the chromatic restraint allows material qualities to speak with clarity, earth tones and metallic accents harmonizing to create an atmosphere simultaneously grounded and aspirational. Viewers might contemplate how the careful balance of intimate and monumental scales serves to elevate the dining experience from mere sustenance to ritual celebration.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Located in the trendy Nanshan district of Shenzhen, also known as the Silicon Valley of China, Stonesal is a restaurant composed of an interior space of 850 square meters and a lush outdoor patio area of 450 square meters with a total capacity of around 140 seats. Main design features include the double height dry-aging room, the octopus translucent central bar, a generous open kitchen, a mezzanine wine showcase, 5 private VIP rooms and the main dining area with a ceiling height of 5 meters.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 850 square meters
- Tags
- Restaurant, steakhouse, sculpture, octopus, retro, bar, art, marble, interior, fine dining
- Production Technology
- The exterior facade composes a collage of textures with copper, marble, and glass. Main interior materials include translucent marble, Himalayan salt blocks, metal mesh, antique wood planks, vintage mirror, perforated metal panels, textured paint, cowhide leather, rough dark stone, and textured copper panels, etc. Measuring over 2.6 meters in diameter and weighing around 1 ton, the upside-down hanging octopus sculpture was 3D modeled, printed and revised before it was finally casted in copper.
- Design Challenge
- To achieve the customized, genuine expression of various installations and materials, numerous pieces and sculptures require specialized manufacturing techniques at various factories all over the country. However, travel restrictions and lockdowns had caused delays for all manufacturing and transportation processes. While online video calls during construction supervision were conducted on a weekly basis, on-site progress was also substantially affected throughout its 7 months of construction.
- Project Duration
- The design phase in Shanghai began in November 2021, while construction in Shenzhen began in April 2022. The project was completed and opened to public in November 2022.
- Operation Flow
- The design and client teams went through numerous design iterations during all phases of the project to ensure overall functionality and flexibility. Due to restricted site conditions in back of house areas, all ducts and equipment were modeled in BIM software to ensure exhaust and fire requirements were executed correctly for maximum clearance. Other consultants, such as lighting, landscape and local artists, also participated on-site and online meetings regularly during the year-long process.
- Research
- As Shenzhen has been known for southern Chinese cuisine, extensive research went into the population’s understanding of western culinary habits and stylistic preferences. New enterprises, especially in the tech industry, have attracted young and trendy crowds demanding more diverse establishments in the city. The Stonesal concept was then created where both the chef’s ingenious culinary creations and avant-garde design aesthetics come together for a mesmerizing experience for all senses.
- Inspiration
- In contrast to the fast-paced, tech-overload lifestyle of our modern generation, as perceptible by the surrounding monotonous glass-cladded building blocks, Stonesal is inspired to create a refreshing yet nostalgic, authentic yet precise, audacious yet playful sanctuary experience for its guests. Through combining textures and customized installations, the design reinterprets the traditional decadent steakhouse with dramatic materials, artistic expressions, and manufacturing methodologies.
Colors of Stonesal Restaurant
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