Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant by Tim Jen and Min Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Silver A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Competition Category.
SilverInterior· 2025
Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant
Client: squaremeter Design Studio
Silver A' Design Award Winner in Interior Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #162938The Design
About Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant
This project is located in Tainan, regarded as the most historically significant city in Taiwan. Therefore, the design concept aims to present various materials in their original forms to create spatial depth while showcasing the rustic charm of Tainan. The concrete bar counter serves as the core of the space, surrounded by copper plates and raw wood veneers that will change in appearance over time. This symbolizes the unique culture of Tainan, which has developed through historical transitions and evolution.
The Recognition
About the Silver A' Design Award
Izakaya 9am 5pm 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. Izakaya 9am 5pm 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. Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.
Where to Get It
Interior Design Services for Commercial and Residential Spaces
We create culturally integrated interior environments that balance functionality with aesthetic excellence. Our expertise spans commercial spaces, restaurants, and residences, delivering end-to-end solutions from conceptual development through on-site execution with meticulous attention to materials and user experience.
Discuss Your ProjectInterviews
Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
The design is inspired by local cultural narratives and materials, aiming to build a spatial experience that resonates with the neighborhood and its people. Our principle is to respect and reinterpret context.
What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
Our focus was to create a space that blends functionality with emotional memory. We wanted to build not just a restaurant, but a cultural hub that evokes a sense of place.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
We plan to further evolve this spatial language in other cultural and commercial contexts. It may become a case study or model for future community-focused projects.
Grand Interview
Your innovative integration of Tainan's historical essence into Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant through raw materials and evolving elements like copper plates and concrete is remarkable - could you elaborate on how this design approach reflects the city's cultural evolution?
In this project, we wanted to reflect Tainan’s multi-layered context by using materials that naturally change over time. The copper plates oxidize and develop patina, and the concrete surfaces record traces of use. We see the space as an extension of the city’s ongoing transformation—where history and contemporary life coexist. By choosing materials that carry the marks of time, we hope to let visitors feel the city’s living heritage and vibrant evolution.
The handcrafted concrete bar counter at Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant involved the owner in the chiseling process - how did this collaborative approach enhance the connection between the space, its creators, and its future users?
The bar counter is the core of the space, so we invited the owner to participate in the chiseling process. This was not just about physical work but about embedding emotional connection and memories into the space. When guests interact with the counter, they also connect with this story of collaboration. We believe that when designers and owners build a space together, it naturally carries more warmth and a deeper sense of belonging for future users.
The harmonious blend of preserved elements like green tiles and marble flooring with new materials at Izakaya 9am 5pm Restaurant earned recognition with a Silver A' Design Award - what guided your material selection process to achieve this balance?
Our principle is to respect and retain meaningful existing elements while introducing new materials that highlight them. The old green tiles and marble floors carry the memories of the alley, while walnut veneer and raw concrete add a contemporary softness and texture. By letting old and new coexist and speak to each other, we created an atmosphere that feels both authentic and fresh.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- A handcrafted concrete bar counter was designed as the core element of the entire space. After the concrete was poured, the owner was invited to participate in the chiseling process, deepening the connection between the owner, the customers, and the space itself. The bar is surrounded by untreated copper plates and raw walnut veneer, which will change in appearance over time. This symbolizes the unique culture of Tainan, shaped by historical changes and evolution.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The site is an old four-story house. The first floor is primarily designated for dining and the kitchen, while the second floor serves as private dining rooms. The third and fourth floors are allocated for staff rest and storage of goods. The design focuses mainly on the exterior and the spaces of the first and second floors. The total designed area for the first and second floors is 65 square meters.
- Tags
- Natural, Izakaya, squaremeter Design Studio, Taiwan, Tainan
- Production Technology
- The original building's green tiles on the exterior were retained and complemented with walnut veneer on the interior. The contrasting colors are accentuated with gold copper sheets. Additionally, the original gray marble flooring was preserved and paired with a newly constructed concrete bar counter, enhancing the overall stability and groundedness of the space. The design maintains the building's original features, striking a balance between historical elements and new materials, ensuring that the building stands out in the alleys of Tainan without appearing out of place.
- Design Challenge
- Integrating the design with the original building conditions was the biggest challenge, leading to several proposed solutions. The green tiles on the exterior of the building and the walnut veneer on the interior, along with contrasting colors and gold brass accents, create a harmonious overall space with a bright focal point. The original flooring and the gray color of the new concrete bar contribute to the calmness of the space. The wall of the staircase leading to the upper floor features a high-brightness blue color, transforming the space and reducing visual fatigue caused by the same color tone over a large area. The feature wall lamps and the hand-hewn bar also add liveliness to the space.
- Research
- The site of this project is located in a city rich in historical and cultural background. Therefore, the goal is not only to create a unique design but also to develop a space that integrates local cultural characteristics. Materials that are raw and evolve over time, such as copper sheets, concrete, and natural wood veneer, have been chosen as part of the design solution. The integration of people, space, time, and place is the core of the design philosophy. Consequently, context-sensitive design has always been the primary consideration and goal.
- Inspiration
- This project is located in Tainan, one of Taiwan's most historically rich cities. Connecting the restaurant with Tainan's history was the primary design consideration. Therefore, various materials were presented in their original forms to create spatial layering while showcasing Tainan's local culture. By integrating the local culture of Tainan's ancient capital, the design preserves the building's rustic charm while infusing it with new vitality.
- Project Duration
- This project was completed in December 2023 in Tainan, Taiwan, and officially opened in January 2024.
- Operation Flow
- In terms of the flow of use, the space used by consumers and staff is separated, with the front area, where consumers are located, as the main focus of the design. In the back area, a large kitchen space has been planned to ensure that staff do not interfere with the consumers' route when delivering or receiving food. This arrangement allows consumers to enjoy a better dining experience.
- Team Members
- Tim Jen
Min Chen - Image Credits
- Photographer Weimax Studio, 2024.
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