Silver Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2025
Shiroyama Restaurant
by Ivan Krupin
- A' Design Award 2025 Silver Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Shiroyama
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 24,009
- Verification code 85ECF4E670 · Verify this award
About Shiroyama Restaurant
The main theme of the project is interpenetration and interconnection. The design combines metaphors and cultural symbols of Kazakh and Japanese culture. The theme of the Ryoanji Rock Garden and Wabi Sabi is harmoniously intertwined with the sacred Baiterek tree and the stylized Bozzhira mountain range. The surrounding nature penetrates into the interior in the form of stones taken from the shore, sofas stylized as boulders and fills the space with light reflected from the metal ceiling, as well as a natural range of materials.
Shiroyama Restaurant by Ivan Krupin emerges as a compelling meditation on the dialogue between organic natural forms and contemporary material innovation, positioning itself within a lineage of biophilic design thinking that traces from the organic architecture of earlier modernist masters through to current explorations of nature-integrated hospitality environments. The installation commands attention through its central sculptural tree element, a remarkable feat of timber engineering and joinery that transforms structural necessity into poetic statement, its branches reaching upward like a grove of young trees seeking light, their pale warm surfaces catching and distributing the abundant daylight that floods through the generous fenestration. The designer demonstrates sophisticated understanding of material semiotics, juxtaposing the warmth and tactile invitation of natural timber against the cool technological precision of the polished stainless steel ceiling, creating a visual conversation between earthbound organic growth and celestial reflection that elevates the dining experience into something approaching the contemplative. The spatial organization reveals careful attention to human comfort and social dynamics, with intimate banquette arrangements providing sheltered zones within the larger open volume, while the reflective ceiling dramatically amplifies the perceived spaciousness without sacrificing the sense of enclosure necessary for comfortable dining. Technical accomplishment is evident throughout, from the precise joinery of the branching timber elements to the seamless integration of track lighting systems within the ceiling grid, to the careful material transitions between flooring zones that subtly delineate circulation from seating areas. The atmospheric quality achieved suggests a space existing somehow outside ordinary time, where the filtered daylight and doubled reflections create an almost dreamlike ambiance conducive to unhurried appreciation of cuisine and conversation. One might consider how this environment transforms the act of dining from mere sustenance into ritual, inviting contemplation of our fundamental human desire to gather, share, and find respite within spaces that honor both our technological capabilities and our enduring connection to the natural world.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The main theme of the project is interpenetration and interconnection. Starting with the name, Japanese translation of the name of the location, through the relationship with the nature of the rocky seashore on which the restaurant is located and ending with the interpenetration of Japanese and Kazakh culture, expressed in metaphors, colors and selection of materials and author’s elements. Each element in the interior has its own meaning and contribution to the overall harmony and atmosphere.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Total area of the restaurant is 286 sqm.
- Tags
- Shiroyama, Uniting, Culture, Nature, Restaurant
- Production Technology
- An interesting point is that to save money, CBPB slabs were used to imitate concrete panels in wall decoration. Characteristic local materials were also used, such as tabletops made of local Elm, and stones were taken from the shore under the windows of the restaurant. A podium in the center of the room allows patrons behind the bar to use regular chairs, eliminating the difference in height.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge when creating the project was the construction budget, as well as the remoteness and isolation of the city. The search for cost reduction and the need to use local possibilities and materials were the main problems when creating the interior
- Project Duration
- The project started in January 2023 and was completed in March 2024. Located in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
- Operation Flow
- The interior was created taking into account changes in natural light throughout the day. In the morning it is filled with sunlight and becomes light, thanks to the reflective property of the metal ceiling, in the evening the reflection of the sunset fills it with its own shades, and at night the restaurant is immersed in a cozy atmosphere created by accent lighting and a variety of backlights that highlight the architecture and interior elements.
- Research
- An important point in the creation of the project was the task of immersing visitors in a harmonious atmosphere of the environment and showing how local nature and culture can subtly resonate with another culture. My goal was to give visitors a sense of harmony between Japanese cuisine and their familiar surroundings and cultural symbols, without going into design for the sake of design in the form of just a good impersonal interior.
- Inspiration
- I found inspiration in the nature of the Caspian Sea coast, on the shore of which the restaurant is located, and panoramic glazing allows us to strengthen this connection. I looked for themes in Japanese and Kazakh culture to combine them. Thus, the central composition personifies the sacred Baiterek tree, uniting the past, present and future in Kazakh culture, which is reflected in the stylized inverted sea, while other elements gently lead into the atmosphere of Japanese contemplation
- Image Credits
- Image #1 : Photographer Rauf Ismailov
Optional image #1 : Photographer Rauf Ismailov
Optional image #2 : Photographer Rauf Ismailov
Optional image #3 : Photographer Rauf Ismailov
Optional image #4 : Photographer Ivan Krupin
Colors of Shiroyama Restaurant
Get Shiroyama Restaurant
Interior Design Services with Cultural Storytelling
We create memorable interior spaces that blend cultural narratives with cost-effective solutions. Our designs transform restaurants, retail spaces, and exhibitions into meaningful experiences that resonate with local contexts while achieving international recognition.
G0E23 ShopGrand Interview about Shiroyama Restaurant
Despite the fact that the task was described by the customer as a Japanese restaurant, I decided to look for something more subtle in meaning and concept. The restaurant is located on a hill, on the shores of the Caspian Sea and has panoramic windows. The first time I entered it, I felt how the environment, the sea, the wind, the stones and the sun permeated the room. I immediately decided to let this environment in through the windows, blurring the border and combining the interior and exterior. This seemed to me not enough and I decided to deepen the sensations of interpenetration and mixing by connecting metaphorical elements of Kazakh and Japanese culture to this dance. I deliberately avoided direct recognizable quotes and focused on philosophy, mythology and sensations. From Japanese culture I took contemplation and brevity, emphasizing with metaphorical inclusions, and from Kazakh culture I took a mythological meaning. And all this was united by the surrounding nature and the sea.
I was fascinated by the idea of connection with place and environment. Letting the sea and the sky in through the windows and catching it in the edges of the metal ceiling, I added stones from the shore to this and now you see them on the shore through the glass wall and feel their presence next to you. The native elm solved the oak cost problem and strengthened the connection to place. The color scheme also matches the surrounding nature, which is quite minimalistic and monochrome, as it is essentially a desert and rocky steppe. White rocks, scorched grass and sand, against the backdrop of the endless sea and sky - this is Kazakh zen for hundreds of kilometers around.
Being the central element and made in the minimalist style characteristic of Japanese culture, this tree, made of multi-layer sanded plywood, is also a sacred mythological symbol in Kazakh culture. Baiterek is a tree of life, whose roots go to the afterlife (past), the trunk is in the earthly world (present), and the crown goes to the heavenly world (future). Connecting the real world with the illusory, this tree holds the firmament. Reflected in the metal ceiling, it also reveals the path to a parallel world. The tree from ancient myths "growing" in the center of the restaurant pays tribute to the past, and allows traditions to exist and penetrate into the future.
The building is located on the seashore and sunsets are an integral part of the atmosphere. The setting sun fills the room with reflections and colors and, thanks to the restaurant's elevated position, is reflected in the metal ceiling. The ceiling has a faceted 3D structure, which increases the filling of the room with reflections and turns into a kind of light source. During the day, this ceiling also increases natural light and brings other shades into the predominantly monochrome interior, catching the sea and sky. At night, this structured surface of polished metal becomes an element that increases the number of light accents, reflecting light sources and enlivens the ceiling creating a more voluminous atmosphere.
I didn’t want to give up concrete panels on the walls, but they weren’t in the budget, just like imitation micro-concrete panels. I decided to make an imitation from a very inexpensive building material, which essentially contains cement (concrete). These are CBPB boards that are made from cement and wood shavings and sawdust. In the end, visitors are confident that this is real concrete. I liked the effect of naturalness, as panels made of this material, after lying for some time in the open air, acquire an individual structure.
The Rock Garden is about contemplation and Zen, as well as the interaction between man and nature in the aspect of creativity. The Bozzhira Mountains are a symbol of the region where the restaurant is located, as well as a sacred place. Both of these phenomena are subtly reflected in the interior, without coming to the fore, but harmoniously combined due to the general color scheme and materials. In this way I again intertwine two cultures
The word Shiroyama consists of two hieroglyphs - white and mountain, and the gazvania of the city of Aktau also consists of two words Ak and Tau and mean the same thing. White Mountain. This area is the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean, so the main geological rock is white shell rock (you can even find the teeth of ancient sharks in the local steppe). I liked this relationship in the meaning of the names and this was the starting point for me deciding to also combine the two cultures. The general meaning of the name, Japanese cuisine, elements of Kazakh mythology woven into a minimalist style creating a certain atmosphere that can be defined as Japanese - all these are elements woven into the overall concept. And in the end, all these elements, unobtrusively collected into a single harmonious interior, serve as the background for another integration - the penetration of the surrounding nature into the interior.
I wanted to get away from the usual bar structure typical of the local conservative fashion. In addition to the difference in levels, I removed visible lights above the bar area so that the bar became more of a part of the overall space, rather than a dedicated object. The difference in levels allows diners to use regular chairs and feel like they are at a regular dining table rather than at a bar counter. This creates a greater mindset of using the bar for eating rather than just drinks, while also closing the gap in height of eye contact with bartenders. Another reason is that I wanted to integrate the bar more into the overall space without highlighting its area with high bar stools. Visitors feel not at a traditional counter, but simply at another option for a dining table, as the podium space itself contains 3 more types of tables. This is another dining table with the opportunity to have a conversation with the bartender or watch him work as part of the show.
The color scheme of the local nature itself is close to the already traditional style of minimalism, the roots of which lie in Japanese culture. Wood and concrete, in various forms, are the two main materials used in the interior. Accordingly, the range consists of the warm color of wood and a gradation of shades of gray, with accents of black.The main type of wood used in decoration and furniture is local elm, called Karagach. The stones, which are decorative art objects, were taken from the seashore and the local steppe, while being a metaphor for the Ryoanji garden. The designer floor lamps, made by a local blacksmith, are both a metaphor for local coastal reeds and Japanese bamboo. My goal was to create a Japanese restaurant without recognizable elements of Japaneseness, which would be in harmony with the local nature and be part of the place. And I was looking for different options that could tie everything together, smoothing the boundaries and avoiding a direct narrative. Form and materials are part of this concept.
In the evening, the interior is transformed. I didn't use a flood light, instead focusing on accent lighting. The general space is blurred in twilight, creating a comfortable pulsation of light spots that create zoning. For example, the lighting of the bar counter is designed so that only the tabletop is illuminated, while the faces remain in the shadows. The tree, as the central element, becomes even more objective, turning into a source of light, and also carries lamps on its branches that snatch tables from the twilight. Numerous lights prevent the interior from plunging into darkness, emphasizing its architecture, but do not blind the eyes and leave a comfortable twilight. Floor lamps grab sections of concrete columns and ceilings, creating volume. In the metal ceiling, all these light accents find their reflections and highlights. In the metal ceiling, all these light accents find their reflections and highlights. All this makes the interior more spacious and voluminous in feel, but at the same time more clearly divided into private zones than during the day, allowing groups of visitors to feel apart.