If a Japanese food store blindly creates a Japanese cultural atmosphere, it will often fail to resonate with the Chinese people. Copying and stacking a large number of traditional Japanese elements is contrary to the most important humanistic sentiments and craftsmanship in Japanese food culture. Resonance is the translation of culture, not the stacking of elements.
HOMURA Yanzhu, the brand formerly known as Yan Teppanyaki, specializes in Japanese teppanyaki cuisine. The old store adopts a reservation system and is hidden in a back street. It is low-key and restrained amidst the overwhelming visual marketing. In the full case design of this new store, we tried to convey the brand's focused and firm, calm and vital characteristics to customers, combined with the unique oriental Zen spirit.
▼Space overview, preview ©Zhang Xiaokai
Japanese restaurants that are obsessed with creating a Japanese cultural atmosphere often fail to resonate with the national poPUlation. A large number of copies and piles of traditional Japanese elements are contrary to the most important humanistic sentiment and artisan spirit in Japanese food culture. Resonance is the translation of culture, not the piling up of elements.
HOMURA 焱 Zhu, the brand formerly known as Amazing Teppanyaki, specializes in Japanese Teppanyaki cuisine. The old restaurant was a reservation system, hidden in the back streets , and was low-key and introverted in the overwhelming visual marketing. In the full project design of this new restaurant, we tried to convey the brand's focused but firm, calm and vibrant characteristics, combined with the unique Zen meaning of the East, to customers.
▼Axonometric exploded view, axon exploded ©Wuhan Pukai Shixiang Design Office
The shape and meaning of ZenChinese Zen
"Warlike and peaceful, militaristic and beautiful, arrogant and polite..." Ruth Benny Dict uses "chrysanthemum" and "knife" to symbolize the contradictory character of the Japanese people. It is this contradictory symbiosis that gives Japanese culture its unique beauty, and the same goes for space.
We rely on the shape of the site and use stretched curves and orderly grids to establish a dynamic balance; we use the iconic eaves space of Japanese architecture to blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, allowing openness and closure to coexist. The balance and coexistence of contradictions derive infinite vitality and intriguing artistic conception, which is also the source of Zen.
“The Japanese are, to the highest degree, both aggressive and unaggressive, both militaristic and aesthetic,…” Ruth Benedict used “chrysanthemum” and “sword” to symbolize the contradictory character of Japanese people, and it is this contradictory symbiosis that gives Japanese culture its unique beauty, and so does the space.
Based on the shape of the site, we use spreading curves and orderly grilles to establish a dynamic balance; we use the iconic space under the eaves of Japanese architecture to blur the boundary between interior and exterior, allowing openness and closure to coexist. The contradictory balance and coexistence give rise to infinite vitality and intriguing moods, which is the source of Zen spirit.
▼reception area ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼reception desk ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼circular corridor ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼Zen space, Zen space ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼wine display wall ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼A glance to the display wall ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼Blurred inside and outside The grilles that blur the boundaries between inside and outside ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼dining area, dining area ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼dining area for group ©Zhang Xiaokai
Stone, wood, copper, iron, controlled in space The material expression is to use limited matter to guide the infinite spirit to expand imagination. Whether it is sparkling water waves or rocks from other mountains, the "dry landscape" that uses objects to describe the scenery is another important symbol of Zen.
Stone, wood, copper and iron, the restrained material expression in the space is to use the limited material to guide the infinite spirit to unfold the imagination. The “withered landscape” is another important expression of Zen, whether it is a sparkling water wave or a stone from another mountain.
▼wood in dining space ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼stone in restroom ©Zhang Xiaokai
Brand and PeopleBrand and People
brand vision is based on commercial format-iron plate, The dynamic form of kappo is the entry point, inspired by the lacquered red food utensils. It is simple and intuitive but also contains the concept of duality balance. The derived family crest-style stamp is padded behind the grille. When customers enter the store, the view is blocked. When leaving the store, the perspective is reversed and the family crest is revealed. Process-based experience planning integrates products, brands, and spaces, guiding customers to establish an emotional connection with the place.
The brand vision takes the dynamic form of commercial business – iron plate and cut cooking as the entry point, and the lacquer red foodware as the inspiration, which is simple and intuitive but also contains the concept of duality and balance. The derived family crest- style seal is lined behind the grille, so that the customer's view is blocked when entering the store and reversed when leaving the store and the family crest is revealed. The process-oriented experience planning integrates product, brand and space, leading customers to establish an emotional connection with the place.
▼Restaurant logo, logos ©Zhang Xiaokai
▼Dish display, variety of dishes ©Zhang Xiaokai
Artificial but natural space, solemn but friendly atmosphere, alienated but real connection , HOMURA Yan is cast with contradictions Coexistence conveys Eastern Zen, abandons complicated decoration and modification, and explores the core of Japanese food culture. There are no mountains and no water, but there is wind.
The artificial but natural space, the solemn but friendly atmosphere, and the detached but genuine connection, HOMURA AMAZING CUSTOMER is a paradoxical coexistence.The space is a Zen oriental space that is free from elaborate decorations and embellishments, and explores the core of Japanese culture . There is no mountain and no water, but the wind comes.
▼Plan, plan ©Wuhan Pukai Shixiang Design Office
▼Section view, section ©Wuhan Pukai Shixiang Design Office
Design Director: Xiong Tianyu Zhang Xiaokai
Design Team: Lu Hongda and Feng Chengcheng
Project Address: Wuhan City, Hubei Province
Project Area: 500 square meters
Completion Time: April 2022
Photography: Zhang Xiaokai
Materials: Water-corrugated stainless steel, PU stone, wood decoration ⯯, car-engraved glass
Project name: Yanzhu HOMURA
Design agency: Wuhan Pukai Shixiang Design Office
Engineering construction: Wuhan Huidong Decoration Design Engineering Co., Ltd.
