Press Release
Kaiseki Den Restaurant by Monique Lee Wins the Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Monique Lee acknowledged for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2017 - 2018 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 14, 2018 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category for Kaiseki Den Restaurant by Monique Lee, designed for Kaiseki Den by Saotome. The result belongs to the 2017 - 2018 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Bronze A' Design Award Explained
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
More About Kaiseki Den Restaurant
Kaiseki Den by Saotome, employs distinctive Wabi-sabi design elements of simplicity, raw texture, modesty and nature to exemplify Zen meaning behind Kaiseki cuisine. Shopfront is built with natural composite wood strips giving a three-dimensional visual effect. The entrance corridor and VIP rooms with Japanese Karesansui elements evoke imagination of being in a peaceful sanctuary undisturbed by the hustle and bustle of the city. The interior in a most simple layout with minimum decoration. The clear-cut wooden lines and translucent wagami paper with soft lighting keep a spacious feeling.
About Monique Lee
Monique Lee, Interior Design Director of Mas Studio Ltd., columnist on interior designs for Capital Weekly, Hong Kong. She has a passion for art since childhood and has always aspired to design for spatial comfort and simplicity. Her designs are well received by clients as a blend of inspiration and functionality. With solid knowledge in architecture and interior designs, she started her career working with land developers after getting professional qualifications in her early twenties. Year 2009 is a milestone when she founded her own company to further her design career. In 2013, she got her first accolade with one of her designs in an interior design award.
Award Record
With this recognition, Monique Lee is a winner of 4 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2016 - 2017 and the 2017 - 2018 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Typical entries include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. The awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/61367
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/61367
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!61367
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/165480
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://mas-intdesign.com/aboutus.htm
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Kaiseki Den Restaurant
- Function
- Restaurant
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Saddle Brown, Dark Slate Gray, Black, Dark Olive Green and Sienna
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Kaiseki Den by Saotome
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Monique Lee
- Country
- Hong Kong (China)
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2017 - 2018
- Design ID
- #61367
Credits
- Team
- Thomas Chu
- Image Credits
- Photographer Ray Chow, Kaiseki Den 2017
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Kaiseki Den, serves Kaiseki cuisine which is a tribute to transcendental meditation. The design employs simple shapes in a three-dimensional perspective for a modest and peaceful vibe. To bring out the concept of original state of nature associated with Kaiseki and its Zen philosophy, simple, soft sandy or earthy colours, natural materials, coarse marble floor are used. They are a visual pacifier to manifest a calm mind and customers are in a brief retreat from the busy city.
- Inspiration
- Kaiseki refers to the warm pebble Buddhist monks put on their belly during Zen contemplation to soothe feeling of hunger, a divine tool to assist the pursuit of ultimate truth. The design uses Wabi-sabi Aesthetics elements like simplicity, asymmetry to simulate a natural environment. The Japanese Karesansui Landscape represents a static form. Images like static ripple lines as Running Water, Circles as Rock meaning Land are believed to manifest a calm mind and build a tranquil environment.
- Research
- In order to create a comfortable and simple Japanese design, we chose Japanese garden as our design direction. We researched into Kyoto Jinfu Temple Karesansui - dry landscape through different books and internet. Understanding its representation of Wasbi-sabi and the Zen meaning behind the concept. We coordinate and employ these aesthetic concepts into our design to create a tranquil atmosphere.
- Challenge
- The biggest challenge comes from its geographical complexity. Situated on a slope, it combines 2 units of irregular shapes on different horizontal levels and with different ceiling heights. Partial area sinks below ground level outside, blocking natural light source. Its’ irregular shape posts a feeling of disorder. Reworking the drainage system compatible with an open kitchen design requires a full-scale construction of raising the floor for a unified level surface. A simple layout, minimum use of colours and decorations also post difficulty in creating a Japanese feeling.
- Realization and Technology
- Sustainable natural materials closest to its raw texture are selected to present the original state of nature. Tailor-made natural composite wood strips with metal strip inserted manually for a sturdy structure for shop front were assembled on spot. Interior is decorated with coarse marble floor, bamboo bark wall paper, wood screen door and linen Noren. An energy saving LED lighting system is employed. Wagami light boxes conceal an adjustable LED lighting system. For best visual effects and easy maintenance, paper cover is in a door construction with hinges hidden at the top.
- Operation and Interaction
- Drainage system was re-laid to allow for an open kitchen and dining counter design. Diners can see chefs cook and talk with them. Floor of kitchen and main hall was raised for extra underground space to embed drainage pipes and to keep bar counter table on same level for diners and chefs chat comfortably. On the opposite is an open space with a sliding screen in translucent Wagami paper and wooden strips. When fully open, it becomes a spacious hall. When slided closed, it creates a Washitsu private room. This allows flexible and full use of space and light, and strengthens a Japanese vibe.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project stated in Feb 2017 and finished in May 2017 in Hong Kong. Located at Shop 3-4, G/F, The Oakhill, 28 Wood Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
- Specifications
- The site area is 137.3 sq.m
- Keywords
- Elegant, Simple, Natural, Environment Friendly, Peaceful, wabi-sabi
