
These Global Eateries Offer a Feast for the Eyes
From pretty pastels to moody blues, an international quintet of new eateries shows the virtuoso use of color—and form— to orchestrate space.
Masquespacio
Project: Bun Burgers, Milan
Located in the artsy Brera district, the Spanish studio’s third location for the Italian chain continues its predecessors’ swimming-pool aesthetic but with a less-splashy four-color palette—pastel yellow, pink, green, and blue—that’s better suited to the sophisticated neighborhood and, in a new twist, the use of an iridescent mirror-effect finish on some ceiling and wall surfaces to evoke the feeling of being surrounded by waves.
THDP
Project: Pigeon Post Eatery & Bar at Hilton Cologne, Germany
The London and Milan–based studio looked to the history of the building, which had been a post office from the 1950’s to the ’90’s, when reconceiving the hotel’s lobby bar as a 5,500-square-foot multifunctional space—a coworking area, in-house breakfast spot, public lunch and dinner restaurant, evening watering hole—settling on a carefully balanced industrial-vintage-contemporary look that encompasses obsolete ’70’s office equipment, witty period-attuned art, and plushly upholstered half-moon banquettes.
SLT
Project: Holiland Market, Wuhan, China
Comprising a 1,200-square-foot interior wrapped by a slightly bigger open-air eating area, this branch of the nation’s largest chain of bakeshops uses cheerful colors (blue, green, orange), lively geometric and biomorphic shapes (some derived from the cakes and pastries on display), and distinctive materials like terrazzo flooring, stainless-steel paneling, and layered acrylic shelving to delineate zones and infuse a touch of playfulness.
Stokes Architecture + Design
Project: Kpod, Philadelphia
What began as a quick refresh of a 20-year-old restaurant turned into a full-concept update with a new Korean American chef, menu, and vibe, which includes a reconfigured layout featuring a central banquette flanked by booths, a stool-lined bar, and fewer standalone tables; a new plywood ceiling hung with eye-catching felt flags; and a warm wood-tone palette enlivened by bright K-pop colors and a boldly graphic mural by local artist David Guinn.
Minus Workshop
Project: Takano Ramen, Hong Kong
The city’s second outpost of the celebrated Tokyo mom-and-pop noodle shop conjures the original’s unpretentious ambience through the use of traditional Japanese materials (timber framing; walls plastered with striations of different-color clays, which helps with way-finding) and time-honored forms (an awning shaped like a samurai’s helmet above the ramen bar; classic shoji screens; bamboo-and-paper lanterns) that contrast effectively with the glossy shopping-mall location.
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Projects
SLT (Studiolite) Uses Bright Colors and Lively Shapes for a Market in Wuhan, China
Headquartered in Shanghai with offices in both Hong Kong and Seattle, design firm SLT (Studiolite) is distinguishing themselves through a growing portfolio of thoughtful — yet playful — projects. For Holiland Market …
Projects
Masquespacio’s Vibrant Valencia Outpost for Doctor Manzana
Creative consultancy Masquespacio was born during the financial crisis, in 2010. “I wanted to explore my creativity, and most of the available jobs were related to doing technical drawings,” says Ana Mil…
Projects
10 Flavorful Restaurants, Bars, and Cafés
We’ve heard it time and again: “You are what you eat.” Shouldn’t the restaurant’s interiors reflect that? These ten food and beverage locales welcome foodies and newbies alike, with colorful and inspiring design.
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Projects
LASSA Architects Creates a Curvaceous Concrete Structure in Methoni, Greece
LASSA Architects leverages a low-cost and reusable foam formwork to create a private residence with public gallery in Methoni, Greece.
Projects
The Refined Greenwich Village Apartment of a Successful Self-Starter
Lorla Studio transforms a garden level unit nestled in a structure built in 1860 into a timeless, fresh home with a feminine touch.
Projects
ROOI Design and Research Creates a Striking Outdoor installation in Guangzhou, China
An outdoor installation in China by ROOI Design and Research addresses conservation, culture, and coming together safely during the pandemic.