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      Rockwell Group takes maximalist approach to Japanese design at Katsuya NYC restaurant

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      Elements of traditional Japanese architecture and design are combined and given a contemporary spin by New York studio Rockwell Group at this sushi restaurant in Manhattan.

      Katsuya is the latest restaurant of its name by chef Katsuya Uechi, following locations in Los Angeles, Miami and the Bahamas all serving sushi with a Californian twist.
      Katsuya serves Californian-influenced Japanese cuisine by chef Katsuya Uechi. This and top photos by Nikolas KoenigFor its interior, Rockwell Group looked to a variety of Japanese aesthetic traditions, and blended them together to create a theatrical experience.
      “The interior dining rooms take a maximalist approach to Japanese aesthetics, an entertaining departure from the contemporary minimalist vogue,” said the team.
      A long red-lacquered communal table occupies the centre of the dining room. Photo by Nikolas KoenigThe restaurant totals 6,890 square feet (640 square metres) and seats up to 305 diners. Guests enter past the sushi bar and lounge, which is set up for casual diners to enjoy light bites in view of the kitchen.

      In the main dining area, the space is divided into three sections by a pair arched openings and a series of translucent glass screens subtly printed with images of wagasa – Japanese umbrellas.
      Translucent screens divide up the hall-like spaceThe archways, shaped to reference torii and pagoda architecture, are trimmed with red lacquer and inlaid with square wooden tiles.
      Screens are suspended from a black powder-coated metal framework, reminiscent of kumiki wood joinery.
      Secluded banquettes are positioned towards the back. Photo by Emily AndrewsDominated by red, the central space has a long communal table, plus several two-tops and a trio of secluded banquettes towards the back.
      Small to medium-sized parties are accommodated in the section to the right, where the red tones are swapped for warm creams and the wagasa patterns appear again on the wallpaper.
      Several traditional Japanese wagara motifs decorate the wallsMore banquette niches are framed by curved ceilings, and decorated with other traditional wagara motifs and imagery of performers with fans.
      The final indoor dining area includes a variety of table sizes, as well as a robata grill – a specialty that the chef is “renowned for pioneering in the West” according to the team.
      A private dining room seats 10. Photo by Nikolas KoenigConcentric pendant lights by Allied Maker spotlight individual tables and booths throughout the restaurant.
      Meanwhile, the red-lacquered communal table is “illuminated by a custom chandelier with a lazily undulating form that appears like waves rendered in ink”.

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      A private dining room at the end of the hall-like restaurant features red-leather-backed chairs around a circular wooden table, which seats 10.
      In the warmer months, a terrace influenced by autumnal Japanese gardens will provide space for 98 guests outdoors.
      Screens are subtly printed with images of wagasa – Japanese umbrellasKatsuya opened in March 2022 as one of two full-service restaurants inside the Citizens food hall, located within the Manhattan West development between Hudson Yards and Penn Station.
      Rockwell Group was also responsible for the interior design of Citizens, as well as the other fine-dining option Casa Dani, which serves Andalusian cuisine in a setting to match.
      Allied Maker’s Concentric pendant lights are hung throughout the restaurantThe firm was founded by architect and designer David Rockwell in 1984, and is best known for hospitality projects, and production design for theatre and events.
      Its studios have recently collaborated with fellow designers Joyce Wang on the first Equinox Hotel, Yabu Pushelberg for the Moxy Chelsea hotel and Diller Scofidio + Renfro to build 15 Hudson Yards and The Shed – all in New York City.
      The photography is courtesy of Katsuya, unless stated otherwise.

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      Oku restaurant in Mexico City features “floating tables” made of wood and steel

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      Curved booths are suspended over a dining room at a Japanese restaurant in Mexico City designed by local firms Michan Architecture and Escala Arquitectos.

      The sushi eatery is located in the upscale neighbourhood of Jardines del Pedregal, across from a famed church known as Parroquia de la Santa Cruz del Pedregal.
      Oku is a sushi restaurant in Mexico CityIt is the second Oku restaurant designed by Michan Architecture. The other – which features a cave-like ceiling made of huge concrete lights – is found in the district of Lomas de Chapultepec.
      For the Pedregal location, the architects worked with another local firm, Escala Arquitectos. The team aimed to elongate the space’s proportions and take advantage of its height.
      The restaurant is Michan Architecture’s second of its kindRectangular in plan, the eatery has two levels. The lower level encompasses a sushi bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and a back-of-house zone.

      Additional seating is found upstairs, where a series of “floating tables” are arrayed along a corridor.
      “Floating tables” are arrayed along a corridor”The mezzanine level features individual tables hung from the existing structure, giving guests a unique dining experience,” the studio said.
      Two of the tables hover above the sushi bar, and two extend over the outdoor terrace. Each has wooden walls that enclose a single booth.
      Curved stairs connect Oku’s two levelsA similar enclosure was used for the stairs connecting the restaurant’s two levels.
      The dining pods are supported by light steel members that are welded into the building’s existing steel structure.

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      Above the mezzanine is a drop ceiling with curved cutouts that expose the steel framing and add height to the space.
      Moreover, the openings provide a “sensation of cutting and pasting the ceiling onto the tables”, the architects said.
      Cylindrical black lighting fixtures hang from the ceilingHung from the ceiling are cylindrical, black lighting fixtures, which merge electrical cables with structural elements.
      Throughout the restaurant, the team used neutral colours and clad surfaces in pine, pigmented stucco and panels made of glass-fibre-reinforced concrete (GFRC).
      The team used neutral colours and clad surfaces in pinewood throughout OkuThe effect is a “light and open atmosphere that plays with polished and raw finishes”, the team said.
      Other Japanese eateries in Mexico include Mexico City’s Tori Tori by Esrawe Studio, which features elements inspired by Samurai armour, and a restaurant by TAX Architects in the coastal town of Puerto Escondido that is topped with a thatched roof.
      The photography is by Alexandra Bové.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Michan Architecture and Escala ArquitectosProject team: Narciso Martinez, Benjamin Espindola, Emilio Gamus, Isaac MichanStructural engineer: Arturo Rosales + MdOMechanical, electrical, plumbing: RAGER, Rafael Barra

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      Stitched brick wall welcomes guests to Uchi Miami restaurant by Michael Hsu

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      Masonry bricks are tied together to form a curved entryway at this sushi restaurant in Miami’s Wynwood neighbourhood, by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.

      At Uchi Miami, the American firm aimed to create a “perfect contrast” between the materials, techniques and styles of Japan and Florida.
      Uchi Miami in Wynwood is fronted by a white structure wrapped in slats”Uchi tells a story of tactility, honoring Japanese tradition, but has been infused with local notes,” said Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.
      “Wrapping, layering and stitching, inspired by native art forms, apply sophisticated design to simple objects to elevate ordinary materials found in daily life.”
      A wall of woven bricks by Vas Bets greets guests upon entryFlanked by troughs filled with tropical plants, the entrance is surrounded by a pure white frame wrapped with vertical slats.

      Once through the glass doors, guests are guided around to the host stand by a curved wall of concrete blocks created by locally based artist Vas Bets.
      A chalk mural by Sam Angus Jackson is found above the sushi barThe blocks are tied together with rope, which weaves through their holes in a repeated pattern that is reflected in the polished floor.
      In the main dining area, a mix of banquettes, bar seating and high-top tables offers a variety of configurations for parties of different sizes.
      Warbach’s woven light fixtures create patterns across the ceilingThe wooden banquettes feature curved woven back panels and grey upholstered cushions – in a bouclé fabric for the backs and leather for the seats.
      Walnut table tops and ash chairs match panelling on the walls and ceiling, while other surfaces are lined with bright red and orange wallpaper.

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      Other artist collaborations within the restaurant include a hand-drawn chalk mural of jellyfish by artist Sam Angus Jackson, found above the sushi bar.
      Hand-woven wall hangings by Miami artist Elan Byrd decorate the series of private dining areas, which run along one end of the restaurant behind black-framed glass panels.
      Bright red wallpaper offers a contrast to the natural materialsPositioned over the bars and dining tables, lighting studio Warbach’s bespoke fixtures continue the woven motif.
      “The overhead large, custom basket light provides a warm glow to illuminate the wall’s shapes and textile-inspired characteristics,” said Michael Hsu’s team.
      The studio aimed to blend a variety of textures and materials throughout the restaurantMichael Hsu Office of Architecture has previously completed a restaurant with a curved wooden ceiling in its home city of Austin, Texas.
      The studio has also designed a remote home in Texas Hill Country and the interiors for Shake Shack’s headquarters in New York City.
      The photography is by Chase Daniel.
      Project credits:
      Owner: Hai HospitalityArchitect of record: Form Group ArchitectureGeneral contractor: City Construction GroupProject management: Amicon ManagementKitchen consultant: Trimark USAMEP: RPJ EngineeringLandscape designer: Plant the Future

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