Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng by Luxi Chen

Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng by Luxi Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Sắt in Thiết kế Khách sạn Competition Category.

SắtKhách sạn· 2025

Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng

by Luxi Chen

Client: Yan Xia San Yue

A' Design Award Sắt Winner in Khách sạn Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng

Timber and Table là một nhà hàng được tạo ra thông qua việc cải tạo và tái sử dụng thích ứng một ngôi nhà có sân trong truyền thống tại Chiết Giang, Trung Quốc. Các xà gỗ nguyên bản, tường gạch, mái ngói và ngưỡng cửa cũ được giữ lại và phục chế bằng các kỹ thuật thủ công truyền thống. Hệ kết cấu thép ẩn và các hệ thống xây dựng hiện đại được bổ sung nhằm đáp ứng các yêu cầu về an toàn và vận hành hiện nay. Một không gian chuyển tiếp cùng cầu thang kết nối khối nhà trước và khối nhà sau. Sân trong trung tâm được tái hiện thành một hồ nước phản chiếu với cá koi, tạo nên một khoảng lặng thư thái cho thực khách.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Sắt

Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng là người chiến thắng giải thưởng A' Design Award Sắt, một sự công nhận danh giá dành cho các thiết kế tốt đáp ứng các yêu cầu chuyên môn và công nghiệp được kỳ vọng từ các sáng tạo được thiết kế tốt. Những người chiến thắng giải Sắt thể hiện kỹ năng tuyệt vời, chuyên môn hóa cao, sự thấu hiểu chuyên gia và năng lực sáng tạo của người tạo ra chúng. Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng được kỳ vọng là một sáng tạo được đánh giá cao, ngưỡng mộ và trân trọng, thực tế và đổi mới. Thiết kế chiến thắng giải thưởng A' Design Award Sắt này tích hợp các thực hành tốt nhất của ngành và có các đặc tính kỹ thuật thành thạo gắn liền với bí quyết và tài năng. Timber and Table Thiết kế Nội thất Nhà hàng được kính trọng vì sự kỹ lưỡng và được thiết kế để mang lại những cải thiện chất lượng cuộc sống giúp biến thế giới thành một nơi tốt đẹp hơn.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This project transforms a vernacular house into a vibrant restaurant, preserving its original architecture, including exposed beams, tiled roofs, and courtyards. The design blends heritage with modern comfort, incorporating handcrafted decor and local materials. Cozy indoor seating and landscaped outdoor spaces create a warm, inviting atmosphere. The result is a unique dining destination that celebrates cultural preservation and innovative reuse.
Dimensions & Packaging: The restaurant connects two originally separate building volumes, front and rear, through the addition of a transitional space and staircase, improving both circulation and spatial coherence. This intervention allows guests to move fluidly across the site while maintaining the integrity of the original structures. At the center of the plan, the traditional siheyuan courtyard was preserved and reimagined as a small reflecting pool. Inspired by the concept of four water return to the hall, the courtyard now features koi fish and becomes a sensory pause point where guests are invited to linger and engage. These design elements were realized through discreet structural enhancements and the integration of modern mechanical and lighting systems, ensuring both functionality and atmosphere are carefully balanced.
Tags: restaurant, interior design, timber architecture, vernacular design, natural materials, hospitality design, rural modern, dining space, spatial design, contemporary rustic, sustainable design, architectural interiors, community dining, handcrafted finishes
Production Technology: The restaurant was realized through a careful process of adaptive reuse, emphasizing the preservation of original materials and architectural character. Existing timber structures and brick walls were retained and restored using a repair as found approach, where imperfections were respected as part of the building’s story. Traditional craftsmanship techniques were employed to maintain the material authenticity, while discreet structural reinforcements and modern building systems were integrated to meet current functional and safety standards. This balance between heritage and contemporary utility allows the space to serve modern needs without losing its historic soul.
Design Challenge: The most significant challenge in designing the restaurant was balancing the preservation of original materials with the need to meet current structural safety standards. Many of the existing timber beams and brick walls showed signs of aging and wear, yet were essential to maintaining the building’s historical character and emotional resonance. Rather than replacing them, we adopted a strategy of selective reinforcement, strengthening the internal structural system with concealed steel supports and anchoring techniques that respected the original construction. Advanced assessments were conducted to evaluate load-bearing capacity, and materials were treated to improve fire resistance and durability. This approach allowed us to preserve the authentic textures and atmosphere of the space while ensuring long-term safety and performance.
Research: The design was grounded in research on vernacular courtyard architecture, particularly the spatial logic and symbolic meaning of the four water return to the hall layout. Historical studies of timber framed structures and traditional construction techniques informed the preservation strategy, guiding decisions on which elements to retain, restore, or reinterpret. Field investigations of the existing building revealed traces of previous residential life, circulation paths, window placements, and layering of materials, which were carefully studied to shape a design that resonates with memory. Contemporary hospitality needs were also analyzed to ensure seamless integration of modern functions such as circulation flow, service zones, and kitchen operations. The result is a space where traditional spatial values and modern user expectations are harmonized through informed, site-specific design.
Inspiration: Inspired by the rich cultural heritage of vernacular architecture, this project aims to honor tradition while adapting to contemporary needs. The design seeks to preserve the house’s original features, such as exposed beams and courtyards, while enhancing functionality for modern dining. Drawing on local craftsmanship and materials, the project combines technical research on sustainable reuse with a vision to create an immersive cultural and culinary experience.
Project Duration: The design of the restaurant was conducted in Zhejiang, China. The project spanned approximately nine months from concept development to construction documentation. Throughout this period, close collaboration with local craftsmen, structural consultants, and preservation specialists ensured that the design remained rooted in its cultural and architectural context while meeting contemporary standards.
Operation Flow: The restaurant offers more than a meal, it provides a sense of stability, comfort, and connection by grounding the dining experience in memory. The design embraces the original building’s layout and materials, allowing the familiar structure to remain a quiet anchor for the new. Exposed wood beams, weathered brick, and worn thresholds are preserved and celebrated, inviting guests to feel at ease in a space that remembers its past. Circulation flows gently through well worn paths, guiding diners through intimate zones that evoke both nostalgia and warmth. This respectful integration of the old with the new creates a tranquil atmosphere where guests can slow down, feel at home, and form new memories rooted in continuity and care.