YONG DONG（ヨンドン本店） | STUDIO NINÉ _ イタリアンレストラン

YONG DONG _ RESTAURANT - KANAGAWA

After renewal

Before renewal

Image sketch of renewal

This project involved renovating a barbecue restaurant for its 30th anniversary. It might be called a superficial makeover―mainly consisting of new walls, ceilings, and lighting.

The existing space was a chaotic blend of various styles in bold colors, with a touch of postmodernism. While these elements may seem outdated, they resonated with regulars as nostalgic, reflecting the era when the restaurant first opened.

That’s why I felt a complete change of design wasn’t the right choice, but it should also bring about a literal sense of renewal, so I aimed to subtly elevate the space with a fresh, more refined atmosphere while preserving the existing layout and color scheme.

After renewal

To achieve this, I incorporated harmonizing and interlocking convex and concave forms as a connective medium to “organize the design” and “emphasize and clarify the space.”

These forms blend seamlessly with both the old and new structures, many of which have been sublimated into illuminated walls and ceilings.

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Before renewal

Image sketch of renewal

The window area is also equipped with a feature that evokes a Gestalt effect. The interplay of the new and old―“figure versus ground” and “figure versus figure”―created by cutting and shaping the space into convex and concave forms, forges a connection between different dimensions that synchronizes “outside with inside” and “window with wall,” generating a sense of depth that extends back and forth and in all directions.

I intended these measures to mirror the restaurant’s journey, linking its trajectory of “forging connections in the past and in the future” to the next generation.

TEXT by NOBUAKI TANAKA