Gold Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2017
Ricca Sakura in a bar
by Ryohei Kanda
- A' Design Award 2017 Gold Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2017
- CLIENT: Roito Inc
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 26,828
- Verification code 5B85368EA8 · Verify this award
About Ricca Sakura in a bar
RICCA is a bar interior in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, a district that keeps a traditional Japanese atmosphere. The design expresses Hanami, the Japanese custom of cherry blossom viewing that lasts only a few weeks in early spring. The ceilings of both spaces are covered with flower shaped objects made of resin with hologram sheets, cut by laser and bent by hand. Light placed inside and outside is reflected in changing colors, so the objects appear as fluttering petals. A half transparent red film is added in the lounge area, while the private karaoke room reflects light naturally.
Ryohei Kanda's RICCA Sakura in a bar represents a distinguished achievement in contemporary hospitality design, wherein the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossom season has been translated into permanent architectural experience through an extraordinary suspended installation comprising thousands of individual petal-form elements that cascade across the ceiling plane, creating an immersive environment that evokes the transcendent moment of hanami, the traditional contemplation of flowering trees that holds profound cultural significance within aesthetic traditions emphasizing the poignant beauty of transience. The technical accomplishment of suspending such a dense yet visually permeable canopy demonstrates considerable engineering sophistication balanced with poetic sensibility, as each element has been positioned to create naturalistic organic clustering while maintaining the structural integrity necessary for a permanent installation in a functional commercial environment. The chromatic strategy employs a sophisticated gradient from deep burgundy through rose to gold, with reflective surfaces that respond to the ambient lighting conditions, ensuring the installation transforms throughout operating hours as natural and artificial light sources shift in intensity and temperature. The spatial organization establishes a clear processional axis terminated by a mirror that multiplies the installation infinitely, transforming the relatively intimate dimensions into a seemingly boundless flowering grove, while the bilateral arrangement of bar counters and illuminated display shelving provides functional grounding beneath the dreamlike canopy. The interplay between the organic suspended mass and the refined material palette of polished wood, veined marble, and crystalline glassware creates a contemplative dialogue between nature and culture, impermanence and permanence, suggesting how design can capture and extend moments of extraordinary beauty. One might consider how this environment invites guests to experience the meditative quality of seasonal change within the context of social gathering and hospitality.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- "Ricca" is a bar, located at Kagurazaka.
Even now, there are Japanese traditional atmosphere and alley in this town.
I created this design to express Japanese aesthetic sense.
In Japan, there is cultural event is known as “Hanami”, which means “cherry blossom viewing”. This unique event is happened only in couples of week of early spring.
Inspired by this moment, I designed this bar with beauty, glamorous, strength and fragility of Hanami. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Total Area : 75.9m2
Lounge Area : 45.8m2
Vip room Area : 9.7m2
Art Panel size : 140mm x 130mm,
Hexagon size : 30mm x 26mm - Tags
- Bar, Lounge, cherryblossom, artwork, Reflection, ceiling, hologram
- Production Technology
- The ceilings of both spaces are covered with deformed flower objects. The objects are made of resin with hologram sheets and cut with a laser. Guests can see various colors and reflected lights because of the feature of the hologram sheets and they appear to be fluttering flowers. I added half-transparent red color film on the resin objects to create a more bewitching atmosphere in the lounge area. Meanwhile, in the private karaoke room I had the hologram to reflect the lights naturally in order to produce more active feelings. In the center of the room I hung the hologram objects from the ceiling and put the light from both inside and outside. The light from the outside gets reflected randomly in the room and from inside projects flower-like expression onto the ceiling and the wall.
- Design Challenge
- All the reflection of this object at this place are different, cause of the angle of ceiling, light and air circulation.
So, I had to take many samples and experiment to set properly.
And also all the hologram materials are bend an pressed by hands, so it provides the lighting reflection randomly. - Project Duration
- B1F KAGURAZAKA TERRACE
5-1 KAGURAZAKA, SHINJUKU-KU, TOKYO ZIP162 0825 JAPAN - Operation Flow
- This object what I designed is installed in a bar/ lounge. It stays permanently, does not required any of maintenance and repair often.
- Research
- When I was walking down street, the streets have many trees of cherry with blossom opens and fluttered, I was surprised this unique moment.
Then I realized that if I can express cherry flowers’ beauty, glamorous, strength and fragility, which will be great design and concept for any of spaces like bar and lounge. - Inspiration
- To express Hanami's beauty, glamorous, strength and fragility, I use a resin with hologram sheets with laser cut as fluttering flowers. Then I hung the hologram objects from the ceiling and put the light from both inside and outside. And also, I create two areas. One is lounge area that has atmosphere with glamorous and beauty, the other is private karaoke room area that has active side of Hanami, like energy, strength and more.
- Image Credits
- photographer: Atsushi Nakamichi (Nacása & Partners)
- Patents
- Ryohei Kanda, 2016.
Colors of Ricca Sakura in a bar
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Design Interview about Ricca Sakura in a bar
A minor happening in everyday life is the root of inspiration.
I want to make a scenery I have never seen before. To make it happy for clients and guest.
I would like to participate in more exciting projects.
RICCA is a bar, located in a town called Kagurazaka.
Even today, Japanese traditional atmosphere and alley still exists in this town.
The designer created this to express the Japanese aesthetic sense.
In Japan, there is a cultural event known as “Hanami”, which means “cherry blossom viewing”. This unique event happens once a year, only in couple of weeks of early spring.
Inspired by this moment, this bar is designed with beauty, glamor, strength and fragility of “Hanami”.
Even today, Japanese traditional atmosphere and alley still exists in this town.
The designer created this to express the Japanese aesthetic sense.
In Japan, there is a cultural event known as “Hanami”, which means “cherry blossom viewing”. This unique event happens once a year, only in couple of weeks of early spring.
Inspired by this moment, this bar is designed with beauty, glamor, strength and fragility of “Hanami”.
I made a flower motif
Yukio Hashimoto,
A young man and woman
There are many shops designed in line of trends happening in various parts of the world, but the concept of this design is themed towards the fundamental aesthetics. Therefore, regardless of changes in time, the design will not fade.
The object is made of hexagon. Together with six flowers in Japanese it will be RICCA.
The designer used several prototype models as a tool to experiment the actual lighting, types of light source, angles and density.
The expression of “Hanami” a culture from ancient times using contemporary materials and interpretation.
Lighting designer and manufacturers of art.
The technique to hide the lighting fixture that lights up the art works. Combination of hologram and resin sheet enabled a new expression.
There were no data, so the designer depended on research of precedent examples to proceed to the making of prototype for experiments.
The biggest challenge was to adjust the relationship between the art panels and the lighting fixtures. To avoid spectators to be too bright, the positioning of the spotlight, height and distance was experimented several times.
To be seen by many people as possible.
The designer realized that the method of using hologram to express color with light has larger means and potential.
It is enough.