Monique Lee of Mas Studio Ltd. · CLIENT: Mou Mou Club
Being a Shabu Shabu, the restaurant design adopts wood, red and white colours to present a traditional feeling. The use of simple contour lines reserves customers’ visual attention to food and diet messages displayed. Since quality of food is a prime concern, the restaurant is layout with fresh food market elements. Construction materials like cement walls and floor are used to build the market backdrop of a big fresh food counter. This setup simulates real market purchase activities where customers can see food quality before making choices.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Be basic and genuine is the gist of the design. An exposure approach is used to taste, feel and see nature. A fresh food display corner is built, and sources of food are illuminated in milk cans and fresh vegetables. Behind the scene objects used in the food processing chain like wooden crates, food ingredients are brought out and shown. Then, a full scale linear lighting system is adopted to highlight the motif of dispatching raw materials from nature to dining tables in a flash.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The site area is 241 sq.m where is a corner of Amoy Plaza.
- Tags
- Shabu Shabu, Wagyu, Japanese cuisine, Casual dining restaurant, A restaurant offering as much as one can eat for a standard charge.
- Production Technology
- Designing a linear layout of florescent light and brass pipes of different sizes poses a big challenge. While considering the aesthetic side, we are constrained by pipe sizes available in the market and actual dimensions of the ceiling. Regarding the glass cylinders, it took long time to get a supplier to tailor-make and produce small number of pieces while facing a tight project schedule for the opening of the restaurant.
- Design Challenge
- We face substantial challenge on Conservation and design. Located at a dim corner of the mall, there is vital concern on how to draw customers to the restaurant. We avoid using extra devices contrary to our idea of Conservation and being basic. A glass wall is adopted to magnify the effect of lighting system inside, which is then extended to the entrance to link up the illuminated milk cans and vegetable displays. This enhances overall visibility of the site.
- Project Duration
- The project started in May 2014 and finished in December 2014. Grand opening on Jan 2015 in Hong Kong.
- Operation Flow
- A flow chart from source to delivery of food is painted on the cement wall where customers can see clearly what the restaurant is serving. Concerns on Eat Healthy are mindfully conveyed in the display of vegetables on the walls. As an added value service, a hidden USB mobile phone charger is built under each table.
- Research
- Our research is on collection of data from books, internet and magazines for understanding Japanese philosophy on life, art. Key findings are that Buddhism, Tea ceremony, Flower arrangements have strong impacts on different aspects of life. Space and Simple shapes are distinctive features. Buddhist philosophy of Void is realized in their pursuit for minimalism. Likewise, simple colours preferred by minimalists are also seen in the Tea ceremony and Flower arrangements cultures. These elements are kin to Conservation and are important attributes of the design.
- Inspiration
- Source of inspiration is from the Japanese Be True and Honest code of business conduct and fresh food market. In the market, all food is displayed clean and tidy for selection and buyers are given detailed information on quality of food being sold. No packaging, no marketing gimmicks. Quality of food is the sole concern.
- Image Credits
- Image #1, Photographer Ray Chow, MouMou Club, 2015.
Image #2, Photographer Ray Chow, MouMou Club, 2015.
Image #3, Photographer Ray Chow, MouMou Club, 2015.
Image #4, Photographer Ray Chow, MouMou Club, 2015.
Image #5, Photographer Ray Chow, MouMou Club, 2015. - Patents
- Copyrights belong to Mas Studio Ltd.
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