Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés by Atsushi Kawaguchi

Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés by Atsushi Kawaguchi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Bronze in Interior Competition Category.

BronzeInterior· 2026

Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés

by Atsushi Kawaguchi

Client: Ishidaya

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Interior Category

6,467

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180958

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés

Ishidaya es un restaurant japonés dins lo district central de Hanòi. Lo projècte utiliza lo Taisho Roman, una epòca ont las culturas japonesa e occidentala se crosavan, coma quadre, en mediant entre l'estetica japonesa e lo caractèr occidental de l'edifici. Un quadre de fust en dessús del comptador combina la construccion tradicionala amb la geometria Art Deco e fa d'element visual clau. Puslèu que decoracion, dona forma a la percepcion a travèrs de la lum e dels punts de vista cambiadisses. Lo resultat es un espaci retengut que superpausa las referéncias culturalas e ofrís una interpretacion clara del repais contemporanèu a Hanòi.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. Ishidaya Foncion Principala: Restaurant Japonés satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This design is a spatial centerpiece that quietly responds to people rather than technology. Its form never moves, yet it feels different from every position, shaped by light, shadow, and human presence. Unlike decorative elements that are simply observed, this design creates a subtle dialogue with its surroundings, offering depth, calm, and a lasting sense of place through simplicity and restraint.
Dimensions & Packaging: Renovation of existing buildings
Tags: Timeless atmosphere, Changing perception, Sense of depth, Quiet interaction
Production Technology: The design process began not with form, but with experience. We first observed how people move, pause, and look within the space. Instead of adding complexity, simple elements were repeated and layered so perception changes as people move. The design does not rely on mechanisms or instructions; human presence itself creates variation. This approach results in a calm, durable, and lasting spatial experience.
Design Challenge: In designing ISHIDAYA we faced challenges from both cultural context and practical limits. The building showed Western decorative traces while the space required a Japanese aesthetic. To connect these influences we adopted the idea of Taisho Roman, a period when East and West blended naturally. This concept guided choices in materials colors light and space. Through close work with craftsmen and repeated testing the design was refined into a space that respects cultural roots and feels natural to use.
Research: For ISHIDAYA the research began by understanding the building and its use. The structure showed traces of Western decoration, while the design required a Japanese sensibility. To connect these elements we studied moments in history when East and West blended naturally. This led to Taisho Roman, which guided choices in materials colors and mood, creating a space that feels unified clear and suited to present day Hanoi.
Inspiration: ISHIDAYA is a Japanese restaurant located in the center of Hanoi. Inspired by Taisho Roman, a period when Japanese and Western cultures intersected, the design harmonizes Japanese aesthetics with the building’s original Western character. A sculptural wooden framework above the counter combines traditional Japanese construction with Art Deco geometry, creating a refined space where dining, drinking, and cultural storytelling come together in contemporary Hanoi.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2024 in Hanoi and finished in April 2025.
Operation Flow: Hanged wood frame is not something you press or control.
It responds simply to people being there. As you walk, sit, or look up, its shape feels different. From one angle it looks calm, from another it feels complex, and from below it seems to float.
Nothing actually moves, but your position changes how it appears. Light and shadow shift naturally, creating a quiet interaction. Because it relies on people, not machines, it stays simple, stable, and always engaging.
Image Credits: All photos / HIROYUKI OKI