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    Yuko Nagayama & Associates creates trapezoidal glasses shop and community hub

    Tokyo studio Yuko Nagayama & Associates has completed a copper-clad eyewear store for brand JINS in Maebashi, Japan, which contains a cafe and rooftop terrace.

    Named JINS Park, the shop in Gunma Prefecture was designed to act as a space for the community to gather whether they are shopping in the store or not.
    Yuko Nagayama & Associates has created a glasses shop in Maebashi”We proactively created public spaces that are not part of the sales floor, which encourages community members to come for reasons other than shopping,” the studio explained.
    “In stores of this type, the second floor is typically not open to customers, [we] utilised it as a terrace and also included a bakery-cafe in the store.”
    The shop contains a cafeYuko Nagayama & Associates envisions the space being used as an indoor community plaza with food and coffee served along with glasses being sold.

    A large triangular staircase divides the space in two, with the glasses store located on one side and the cafe on the other.
    The large central stairs lead to a first floor terraceThe widening staircase, under which the cafe’s servery and the shop’s consultation rooms are located, leads to an additional seating area and a triangular, outdoor terrace.
    This space is intended as another community area, offering benches and a generous amount of open space where children can run around.
    Timber units were used to display glassesBroadly lit by floor-to-ceiling windows with the roof supported by angled columns, the interior is broken up by a number of freestanding timber units.
    For the eyewear shop, these are used to display the glasses on sale, while for the cafe they contain pastries and other food
    The trapezoidal building is topped with a roof terraceThe trapezoidal building is topped with a sulphurised-copper facade that was designed to mimic the reddish-brown Mount Akagi that can be seen from the shop.
    Visitors approach JINS Park through a neatly landscaped garden, before being greeted by the central fan-shaped staircase which provides seating with views of the store, garden, and street.

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    “We began by reversing the typical layout of roadside stores, with a parking lot located in front, and instead located the parking lot behind the building,” said Yuko Nagayama & Associates.
    “As the landscaping matures and the copper facade blends more fully into its surroundings, we hope the store will become part of everyday life in the neighbourhood,” said the studio.
    The ground level opens onto relaxed outdoor spacesRecent glasses shops featured on Dezeen include Stephanie Thatenhorst’s playful pattern-filled interior for a children’s opticians in Munich and a shop clad in colourful sheets of locally sourced plastic waste by sustainable materials company Plasticiet and Amsterdam eyewear company Ace & Tate.
    Other recent developments include eyewear stores by Child Studio for Cubitts, a company that asks for each shop to be designed in a unique style that reflects the history of its local neighbourhood. The studio’s Leeds store is inspired by Victorian joinery, whilst another store is based on Soho’s colourful postwar reputation.
    The photography is by Daici Ano and Tomoyuki Kusunose.

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    Mim Design conceives Melbourne's Au79 cafe as “greenhouse sanctuary”

    Australian studio Mim Design has demarcated the Au79 cafe and bar in Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping centre from the surrounding stores using an arched framework instead of solid walls.

    Set in a corridor between shopfronts, Au79 was designed as a “greenhouse sanctuary” that could offer shoppers a slice of serenity and respite within the bustling retail complex.
    Melbourne’s Au79 cafe is set in a corridor between shopfrontsMim Design, which was also responsible for creating Au79’s first outpost in the nearby city of Abbotsford, wanted the space to fit into its surroundings while also bearing resemblance to the company’s original cafe.
    The Chadstone mall has a vaulted glass ceiling, which the studio decided to mirror by encasing the cafe in an arched framework topped with a gridded metal canopy and cascading plants.
    One side of the pill-shaped plan is taken over by a cafeThis frame surrounds a pill-shaped plan, which is divided into two distinct zones by a central servery.

    On one side is a neutral-toned cafe and on the other a bar organised around a curved counter made of figured stone and flanked by brass-edged display cabinets.
    The other side houses a bar”The cafe addresses the main retail thoroughfare while the bar offers a more intimate and exclusive experience facing the luxury retailers,” said Kieren Guerrero, Mim Design’s lead designer on the project.
    “The resulting open floor plate sensitively maintains visibility across the cafe to the shopfronts beyond while the arched outlines produce a theatrical colonnade effect and subtle sense of privacy.”
    Huge spherical pendants hang along the centreThe sense of formality and grandeur created by the framework is enhanced by the overall symmetry of the space.
    A row of huge custom-made spherical pendant lights is hung along the length of the plan, fitting neatly into the central arches.

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    “At night, we wanted to create the atmosphere of sitting under the glow of the moon,” said Guerrero. “The gentle illumination allows the space to transition and hold presence from day to night, bringing a new dimension to Au79’s organic forms and natural materials.”
    Mim Design employed a tonal palette of brick, terrazzo, natural leather and stone within the interior. Brass details, lush scalloped profiles and tactile finishes echo Au79’s Abbotsford cafe.
    Banquette seating runs along the perimeter of the cafeFixed banquette seating runs along the perimeter of the cafe to maintain a sense of spaciousness while seating as many people as possible.
    Loose furniture settings enable flexibility and moveable joinery on the cafe’s frontage allows the space to transform in order to accommodate different events.
    Tiles and terrazzo are contrasted against flesh-coloured leather”The project crafts a textural, gilded oasis in the Chadstone shopping complex,” said Miriam Fanning, founder and principal of Mim Design.
    “We sought to create a destination that redefined the expectation of what a kiosk is, a place considered to be built form that held ideas of permanence and presence.”
    Other projects by the Melbourne studio include a delicatessen with a counter that looks like sliced salami and an office filled with perforated metal screens.
    The photography is by Timothy Kaye.

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    Rawan Muqaddas designs Sloane Street Deli to be a “classic neighbourhood spot”

    Green tiles and bentwood chairs feature inside this deli and restaurant in central London, which design studio Rawan Muqaddas has renovated to complement its local surroundings.

    Situated along an affluent street in Belgravia, Sloane Street Deli incorporates a barista bar, take-away-deli counter and an eatery that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
    Sloane Street Deli is situated in an affluent London neighbourhoodRawan Muqaddas, founder of eponymous design studio Rawan Muqaddas, aimed to create a comfortable place to dine that captured the spirit of the local neighbourhood.
    At the same time, she hoped to inject some of her own Middle Eastern flair into the restaurant to give it a homely atmosphere.
    Rawan Maqaan has renovated a deli into a vintage style eatery”The concept behind Sloane Street Deli was to build on a classic neighbourhood spot that’s also an extension of one’s home,” Muqaddas told Dezeen.

    “A spot where you can come in and spend five minutes or 50, in a space that is inviting, comfortable and warm, with the customer’s comfort at heart.”
    A curved serving counter is positioned at the deli’s entranceUpon entering the deli customers are greeted by a green-tiled deli counter serving baked goods and fresh pastries.
    It is clad in Arcaico tiles, a Japanese tile that Muqaddas wrapped one at a time around the curved counter.
    Rattan furnishing and bentwood chairs add to the deli’s retro feel”The focus was on the layering of textures and an earthy colour palette, the centre being the Japanese handmade single tiles,” Muqaddas explained.
    “As customer journey was key, I introduced the curvature around the counters, followed by the curvature of the banquette to optimise the flow of the customer.”
    Green tiles contrast terracotta-coloured seatsThe same tiles can be seen on the spice shelf and the adjacent barista counter where customers can purchase hot drinks. Here, a retro, cream-coloured coffee machine perches on another counter in front of large windows.
    Other vintage elements throughout the eatery which is mainly spread over the ground floor level, include cushioned diner-style booth seating, rattan furnishing, bentwood chairs and shiny brass accents.
    The kitchen, prep room and restrooms have been renovated in a similar fashion and are all located downstairs in the basement.

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    Muqaddas employed a mix of creamy green tones and earthy terracotta – colours that are often associated with Middle Eastern interiors to flesh out the rest of the space.
    Elsewhere, splashes of pale pink can be seen on the leather and fabric seats as well as on the awnings that hang outside.
    The space is framed by large windowsTo further tie the deli to the neighbourhood, the studio wanted to preserve as many elements of the original deli as possible, including the facade, interior walls and flooring.
    It refurbished some of the existing bistro tables and kept the original white mouldings and marble tabletops.
    The kitchen and customer restrooms are located downstairsRawan Muqaddas is not the only studio to give a modern eatery a retro look. Cafe Banacado, an all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm by architecture studio ASKA has a colour palette of muted yellows, brown and cream hues.
    Parisian design studio Lizée-Hugot added low-slung lacquered seating and wooden panels to Abstinence, a Parisian eatery that recalls traditional French brasseries.
    Photography is by Kensington Leverne.

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    Alex Meitlis uses plaster and terrazzo to create pink tones in Ottolenghi Chelsea

    London deli chain Ottolenghi has taken a new approach with its latest venue, styled by interior designer Alex Meitlis with a palette of warm pink and red hues.

    Ottolenghi Chelsea features bare plaster walls, pink terrazzo tiles, red upholstered seating and rattan seats.
    The look is a departure from the other Ottolenghi delis, where the design is typically more bright and minimal.
    Pink and red tones feature throughout Ottolenghi ChelseaMeitlis has been behind the design of all the other delis, as well as sister restaurants Nopi and Rovi, which all feature the food of Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi and business partners Noam Bar and Sami Tamimi.
    Here the idea was to make more of a statement, using colours that match the Ottolenghi tableware collection recently launched by Serax.

    In the same spirit, the shopfront and exterior signage bring in vibrant shades of yellow, blue and turquoise.
    Clay plaster walls are left exposed”I take my approach from looking very closely at Yotam’s approach to his food,” said Meitlis, who has studios both in London and Tel Aviv.
    “It’s about taking very basic ingredients but using them in a slightly different way.”
    Pink terrazzo features on the walls and floorsThe clay plaster on the walls was made using recycled bricks, which provide the warm terracotta colour.
    The multi-tonal character of this material is emphasised by curving walls that offer a play of light and shadow.

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    Meitlis worked with artist Ivo Bisignano – who also designed the tableware collection – to create the restaurant’s distinctive floor, where pink terrazzo alternates with white tiles to create a striped effect.
    The same terrazzo also features on wall surfaces at the front of the space and behind the deli counter.
    Upholstered banquettes have a graphic feel, with cylindrical cushionsThe upholstered banquettes bring a geometric element to the design, combining blocky seats with cylindrical cushions. The choice of red fabric allows these to become the most eye-catching elements in the space.
    They are paired with white circular tables and Mies van der Rohe-designed MR Chairs, which introduce more curves.
    Curves are integrated in the wallsOther elements include the familiar deli counter, where the cakes, pastries and salads create an appetising display.
    “We usually start from scratch; almost all elements of the design are made specifically,” Meitlis told Dezeen. “The only items we bought were the iconic Mies chairs.”
    “Once again, it’s about mirroring the brand’s attitude; all the food is made in the kitchen, with few elements pre-prepared.”
    The facade features shades of yellow, blue and turquoiseOttolenghi Chelsea opened in January 2022 and is located on Pavilion Road, in a converted Victorian stable building that is now home to various independent retail brands.
    Dishes for Ottolenghi delis and restaurants are developed at the brand’s test kitchen in Holloway, which was recently overhauled by Studiomama with pops of saffron yellow and raspberry red.

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    Ten eateries with nostalgic retro interiors

    A decadent 1920s-style restaurant and a pastel-hued cafe informed by the playful symmetry of Wes Anderson movies are included in our latest lookbook, which collects ten eateries featuring retro design.

    The stylish details in these projects range from dark-cherry wood panelling and bulbous sconce lights to pops of bright red colour similar to that found in 1950s American diners.
    In other projects, the designers maintained the original design features found in the cafes and restaurants – such as vintage ceiling beams or reclaimed furniture – to create retro interiors that still feel modern.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing self-designed homes by architects and designers, modernist open-plan living rooms and interiors with cosy conversation pits.
    Top: photo is by Derek Swalwell. Above: photo is by Mikael LundbladCafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA 

    Design influences from Anderson’s movies collide with Cuban aesthetics at Cafe Banacado, an all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm by architecture studio ASKA.
    Known for his playfully retro sets, American filmmaker Anderson’s visual style typically includes bold symmetrical layouts similar to the geometric built-in sofas and custom tables reflected in a large mirror at the Stockholm eatery.
    Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›
    Photo is by Felix SpellerMaido, UK, by Child Studio
    Local design office Child Studio converted a London former post office into a sushi restaurant featuring interiors that reflect the late modernist building’s 1960s style.
    The eatery’s retro elements include dark-cherry wood panelling, a glass-block wall and a soft blue coffered ceiling that hangs above rows of Mies van der Rohe’s iconic MR10 chair, which hug petite circular tables.
    Find out more about Maido ›
    Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaElgin Cafe, India, by Renesa
    Chunky blocks of emerald-green granite sourced from Udaipur, India, take centre stage at Elgin Cafe, a restaurant in Punjab that was built on what was once dilapidated farmland.
    Architecture and interior design studio Renesa was informed by “the feel of the outdoors,” adding curved wicker chairs and various potted plants to the all-green space, which celebrates bold maximalist design.
    Find out more about Elgin Cafe ›
    Photo is by Francis AmiandAbstinence, France, by Lizée-Hugot
    Abstinence is an elegant Parisian eatery that features materials commonly found in traditional French brasseries, including low-slung lacquered seating and wooden panels adorned with sconce lights.
    The project is the first by local studio Lizée-Hugot and also has tubular steel furniture and other elements that recall 1970s interior design, such as birdseye maple and olive and tan leather.
    Find out more about Abstinence ›
    Photo by Nicole FranzenThe Harvey House, USA, by Home Studios
    Created to evoke “the golden age of train travel,” a Wisconsin former rail baggage-claim building was transformed into a retro restaurant that takes cues from the 1930s and 1940s supper club culture in the midwestern state.
    Brooklyn-based Home Studios combined a mixture of dark wooden furniture, decadent tiling and tactile upholstery with the space’s original design features, which include vintage ceiling beams and sliding doors.
    Find out more about The Harvey House ›
    Photo is by Derek SwalwellThe Budapest Cafe, Australia, by Biasol
    The Budapest Cafe in Melbourne is another eatery informed by Anderson’s films, which have a whimsical style that nods to retro design.
    Local studio Biasol designed the space as an ode to Anderson’s 2014 feature film The Grand Budapest Hotel, with soft pink interiors and quirky architectural motifs that evoke the filmmaker’s playful symmetry and nostalgic colour palette.
    Find out more about The Budapest Cafe ›
    Photo is by Mikko RyhänenJackie, Finland, by Studio Joanna Laajisto
    Named after the song Jackie by late musician Scott Walker, this Helsinki bar, which also serves food, was created after designer Joanna Laajisto was given a soundtrack of 1960s and 1970s Italian lounge music and 1970s French cosmic disco by the bar’s owner to gain an idea of his vision for Jackie.
    “The dark green walls and ceiling with long tan leather sofas take you away, maybe to a bar in Milan in the 1970s,” explained Laajisto. “A Pipistrello table lamp designed by Italian architect Gae Aulenti in 1965 reinforces the illusion.”
    Find out more about Jackie ›
    Photo by Nicholas WorleyPiraña, UK, by Sella Concept
    Retro signage and red banquette seating pay homage to the interiors of 1950s American diners at Piraña, a restaurant in London by Sella Concept.
    Bold shapes and colours persist throughout the space, including a bespoke jade terrazzo floor, a bar lined with curved timber slats and an abundance of red accents resembling the colour palette of traditional diners. Circular lamps match the round cafe tables and add a playful geometric detail.
    Find out more about Piraña ›
    Photo is by Maha Nasra EddéMimi Kakushi, UAE, by Pirajean Lees
    British firm Pirajean Lees channelled the spirit of Japan’s 1920s jazz age in this richly textured Dubai restaurant that was converted from a nightclub.
    The studio maintained a party theme at Mimi Kakushi through the placement of beaded curtains and mirrored tables that refract light, while a bespoke stained-glass window adds a touch of colourful glamour.
    Find out more about Mimi Kakushi ›
    Photo is by David DworkindCaffettiera Caffé Bar, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
    1970s-style Rubik’s Cube mirrors and a floor tiled to look like checkerboard Vans trainers stars at Caffettiera Caffé Bar, a coffee bar in downtown Montreal.
    Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind mounted curved mirrors onto faux-wood plastic laminate panels, while framed photos of iconic 1990s supermodels line the walls, aiming to connect customers through a sense of shared nostalgia.
    Find out more about Ménard Dworkind ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing domestic gyms, modernist living rooms and kitchen extensions.

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