Mika Kanayama Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant in Interior Space and Exhibition Design

Mika Kanayama recognized for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 20, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant by Mika Kanayama, designed for Muzo, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category. The result belongs to the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

The Silver A' Design Award Explained

The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.

Regarding Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant

Oita Soho was designed to create a sophisticated, relaxing space with Japanese influences and carrying some of the identity established in Oita’s first restaurant, informal and verdant with plants throughout. The space required more than the conventional approaches of minimalistic modern Japanese design to deliver a distinct, remarkable experience that is a synthesis of aesthetic and cultural elements. The work was inspired by the Tanizaki essay "In Praise of Shadows" which discusses the use, meaning and aesthetics of darkness and shadows in Japanese art, design and architecture.

About Mika Kanayama

Muzo is founded by Mika Kanayama in 2018 and is a London-based interior design studio specialising in hospitality, restaurants, bars, cinemas and hotels. Their approach is end-experience focused, the objective is the creation of interior spaces that enrich day-to-day life, encouraging people to feel inspired and invigorated.

Award Record

Mika Kanayama is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards were granted between the 2021 - 2022 and the 2023 - 2024 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/151700
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/151700
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!151700
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/312355
Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.muzodesign.co.uk

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: Oita Soho Modern Japanese Restaurant
Function: Modern Japanese Restaurant
Category: Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Discipline: Spatial Design
Industry: Architecture and Packaging & Retail
Colors: Black, Dark Slate Gray, Rosy Brown and Saddle Brown
Images: 5
Client: Muzo

The Recognition

Laureate: Mika Kanayama
Country: Great Britain
Recognition: Silver A' Design Award
Edition: 2023 - 2024
Design ID: #151700

Credits

Image Credits: Photographer Sara Hibbert

Design Details

Unique Properties: It was designed to create a sophisticated, relaxing space with Japanese influences, and carrying some of the identity established in Oita's first restaurant, informal and verdant with plants throughout the space. The space required more than the conventional approaches of minimalistic modern Japanese design to deliver a distinct, remarkable experience that is a synthesis of aesthetic and cultural elements.
Inspiration: The work was inspired by the Tanizaki essay 'In Praise of Shadows' which discusses the use, meaning and aesthetics of darkness and shadows in Japanese art, design and architecture.
Research: The space is abundant with plants and botanical imagery bringing a sense of exotic night garden or conservatory. Artworks by Imao Keinen featuring birds in seasonal settings with plants and flowers feature throughout, furthering the theme, Keinen’s masterful use of colours is utilised to play with the décor palette introducing flashes of bright colour that are echoed elsewhere, harmonising with the greenery and midnight shades to effect a unique, spectral contrast. The effect has almost the feeling of Japanese lacquerware artwork made real where living forms are presented luminously against the deep dark of lacquer surfaces.
Challenge: As it was a Grade II listed building, the history of the premises was researched in depth prior to work. Great consideration was given at design stage and fit-out work was carried out carefully. Any finishes that needed repairing was matched to the original finish.
Realization and Technology: Grade II Listed Building Material: Fire retardant timber & veneered oak MDF throughout.
Operation and Interaction: Backlit paper parasols are placed overlapping in a flowing pattern that follows the stairs creating a feature wall to surprise and delight leading visitors to the upper level. The warm light of the parasols is accentuated in the dark. Lighting is careful and muted throughout relying on position and shades. Two mirrors placed parallel in opposite directions reflect the lights infinitely in their depths, adding to the glow and mystery of the space.
Project Duration and Location: The project was completed in January 2023 in London.
Specifications: The area of project is Ground Floor - 67sqm First Floor - 69sqm
Keywords: Japanese restaurant design, muzo, Oita, interior design, restaurant design, Japanese design, chinatown