A Japanese restaurant reminiscent of the intimate and professional atmosphere of the omakase sushi shops hidden in the alleyways of the Land of the Rising Sun. Starting from this concept, the interior design proposal was developed with the desire to provide the ideal conditions for a distinct and elevated experience through aesthetics and contemporaneity The concept of the restaurant is directly related to the cuisine that the space aims to offer, and consequently the interior architecture seeks to be symbiotic with the gastronomic menu and its Japanese nature that you can breathe as soon as you enter. Given the limited space, the approach was to design a simple, sober restaurant, characterised by the use of American oak wood furniture and charcoal grey walls and ceilings, which, while contrasting in nature, are intended to speak to each other.
The wooden ceiling of the dining room is presented as an irregular hollowed-out orthogonal grid. Through the rectangular voids, the restaurant comes alive with multiple light-shadow effects. The orthogonal grid becomes more evident as it grows into the darkness of the ceiling. Some of the rectangles are filled with straw, a hollow weave of tiny, intimate scale, through which zenithal lighting emerges. The use of straw in the ceiling panels, as well as its use inside the wine rack and on the display before the sushi preparation counter, allow the space to be punctuated with a touch of liveliness.
There are also elements that hark back to the origins of the designers involved in the design, creating a mix of unique sensations and memories. The abundance of wood seems to evoke the lines of trees and dense forests that have dotted the Azores islands since the 19th century, just as the anthracite grey tone of the walls easily projects us into the mist and fog that cover the landscapes. To enter the FUJI restaurant is to plunge into an imaginary landscape, where the exoticism of the Far East intertwines with that of the Azores. Where the sobriety of the architecture blends with the exuberance of the gastronomy.
For further information please visit www.sequeiradias.com
CREDITS
Project: FUJI restaurant
Architect: Sequeira Dias Arquitectos
Year: 2021
Photo: Ivo Tavares Studio
