Silver Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2025
Takumi Restaurant
by Yu Ting Liu and Ling Ling Xiao - NI Space Design
- A' Design Award 2025 Silver Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: NI Space Design
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 37,829
- Verification code 1D8F569F26 · Verify this award
About Takumi Restaurant
Takumi is a restaurant interior built around robatayaki, a Japanese method of grilling food on an open square grill. The layout is arranged like a theater. Curves and high ceilings shape the space, and staggered seating gives every guest a clear view of the chef's counter. Metal mesh, mosaic tiles, glass bricks and terrazzo flooring add transparency and depth. Orange-red tones recall the warmth of fire, while gray tones balance the scheme. Semi-open dining areas and private booths improve privacy. The venue covers 264.4 square meters.
NI Space Design's Takumi Restaurant exemplifies a thoughtful synthesis of contemporary hospitality design with classical architectural vocabulary, employing barrel-vaulted ceilings rendered in warm terracotta plaster to establish an atmosphere of refined intimacy and spatial generosity. The design demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how material choices and chromatic decisions shape experiential quality, utilizing the psychological warmth of earth tones to foster a sense of comfort and belonging while maintaining visual sophistication appropriate to elevated dining contexts. The strategic deployment of glass block partitions introduces luminous transparency that prevents the warm palette from becoming oppressive, instead creating layered spatial zones that invite exploration while preserving acoustic and visual privacy between dining areas. Technical accomplishment is evident in the seamless integration of contemporary lighting systems within the historical ceiling morphology, where recessed linear diffusers and focused spotlights collaborate to establish flexible illumination scenarios adaptable to shifting moods throughout service periods. The curved wall niche featuring dimensional metallic mesh demonstrates attention to tactile and visual texture, creating focal interest within an otherwise restrained material vocabulary. This work participates in ongoing conversations within hospitality design regarding the creation of memorable spatial experiences through sensory engagement rather than decorative accumulation, suggesting that atmosphere emerges from the thoughtful orchestration of light, material, and proportion rather than ornamental complexity. The composition invites viewers to consider how architectural enclosure shapes social experience, and how the warmth of material surfaces might foster connection and conversation among those gathered within.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Robatayaki refers to a cooking method where food is grilled on a square, open grill, with people gathered around to watch and enjoy. Building on this imagery, the designers broke away from traditional Japanese frameworks, using curves and high ceilings to create a theatrical effect. The interwoven arcs create diverse scenes. With the robatayaki bar as the core, seating is layered and staggered, providing the depth of a stage. The freely flowing curves overlap within the space. Glass brick walls add an illusionary element, transforming the restaurant into a grand performance venue.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The total area of the venue, excluding the kitchen, is 264.4 square meters, encompassing the chef's counter (itamae) area, VIP booths, open seating area, booths, and waiting area.
The first impression is created by the waiting area, which also serves as a photo spot. The area features a main visual element of a flaming washi paper artwork, connecting with the image of a grill. As one moves to the right and enters the restaurant, the staggered layout ensures that every seating area has a clear view of the robatayaki grilling at the chef's counter (itamae). - Tags
- Robatayaki, Modern Aesthetics, Dramatic Space, Orange-Red Tone, Visual Feast
- Production Technology
- Metal mesh, mosaic tiles, glass bricks, and terrazzo flooring create a sense of transparency and modernity, while also enhancing openness and interaction. Departing from the traditional Japanese palette of light beige, the design primarily uses orange-red tones to evoke the warmth and vibrancy of fire. Gray tones are incorporated to balance the intensity of the overall color scheme, making the space more visually appealing and expressive. The VIP booths are particularly highlighted for their uniqueness and luxury.
- Design Challenge
- Challenges included differences in material selection and construction standards. Since the site is located in Shanghai, known as the 'fashion capital,' the design had to be impeccably eye-catching. Due to regional differences in materials, some ideas could not be fully realized as originally planned, leading to the need to replace certain design elements. Fortunately, the final adjustments resulted in a high-standard, high-quality presentation. The designers preserved the aesthetic and functionality of the project, demonstrating adaptability and innovative thinking in the face of challenges.
- Project Duration
- The project finished in January 2024 in Shanghai.
- Operation Flow
- The renovated restaurant enhances the brand's image while increasing the venue's appeal. Moreover, the restaurant's reopening during the post-pandemic recovery period saw a noticeable increase in per-customer spending, indicating that the restaurant's market positioning and renovation strategy successfully attracted a more upscale clientele. The service model, which combines specialty cuisine with interior design, further solidified the restaurant's position in the local culinary scene, bringing in a new and loyal customer base.
- Research
- The space is designed like a theater, with curves and high ceilings creating a layered seating arrangement. Every seat offers a perfect view of the chef's culinary artistry while also enhancing privacy. The orange-red tones and reflective materials recreate the robatayaki cooking process, with metal mesh and glass bricks interwoven into the details. As the aroma of fresh ingredients fills the air, dinners can experience a sensory journey. The remodeling project undoubtedly allows the brand to once again capture the market's favor, this time with an even more innovative and modern flair.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by traditional Japanese cuisine, robatayaki is a sensory cooking method where ingredients are arranged around a brick grill. It offers diners an exquisite dining experience, which is also one of the brand's distinctive features. In the past, the design concept often focused on restoring classic Japanese elements. However, the owner wanted this restaurant to have a different style. The designers combined a dramatic layout with semi-open dining areas to enhance privacy and visual appeal.
- Image Credits
- NI Space Design
Colors of Takumi Restaurant
Get Takumi Restaurant
Theatrical Restaurant & Hospitality Interior Design Services
We transform dining spaces into immersive theatrical experiences through innovative spatial design. Our award-winning approach breaks traditional boundaries, using dramatic curves, layered seating arrangements, and bold material combinations to create venues that captivate guests while maximizing…
G0E23 Shop