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    Laurence Bonnel creates tactile restaurant interior informed by Japanese archipelago

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    Artworks are dotted throughout the interior of restaurant L’Abysse Monte Carlo in Monaco, for which its designers Laurence Bonnel and Rowin Atelier took cues from the Seto Inland Sea archipelago.

    Bonnel, who led the design and is the founder of Paris art gallery Scene Ouverte, also drew on the food served at the restaurant when creating the design.
    Headed up by chef Yannick Alléno and sushi connoisseur Yasunari Okazak, L’Abysse Monte Carlo mixes French cuisine with Japanese culinary traditions.
    L’Abysse Monte Carlo has an interior filled with artwork”The design has been inspired by the atmosphere Yannick Alléno wanted for the Abysse – precious and warm, a French vision of the way you feel in Japan,” Bonnel told Dezeen.
    “The sea, as it is a sushi restaurant, has also inspired the design,” she added.

    “Monte Carlo’s unique blend of French Riviera chic and international flair also influenced the design. I also wanted to create a sense of clarity, so upon entering, one feels immediately transported, as if stepping away from the world.”
    Pale pink chairs contrast against a dark blue rugBonnel has mixed materials including marble, travertine, wood, ceramics and velvet for the interior of the 90-square-metre restaurant, which is located inside the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
    “I worked with ceramic and porcelain for their connection to Japanese ‘savoir-faire’, and the special soul they bring to a space – I’m an absolute lover of ceramics,” Bonnel explained.
    “The Versylis marble has a light grey tone with a hint of pink  – I went to choose the panels myself and it is reminiscent of a Japanese mountain drawing inside the stone,” she added. “I chose velvet fabric to bring the softness and warmth.”
    The Coral Wall installation adds texture to the spaceL’Abysse Monte Carlo’s interior also features artworks that evoke the sea, including artist William Coggin’s Coral Wall installation.
    “Art always enhances an interior, it gives life and soul to a space,” Bonnel said. “It also gives a special, sweet, warm atmosphere with a spectacular effect: you feel to be in a special place while feeling very comfortable.”
    The white ceramic wall decorations feature 3D forms that rise from the surface and resemble coral reefs, sand dunes and ocean waves.
    “The coral colour of William’s ceramic wall was the first choice, followed by the very light wood of the bar, which led me to the Versylis marble,” Bonnel said.
    An indigo rug fills the floor at L’Abysse Monte CarloBonnel worked with Rowin Atelier on a large indigo rug that covers the restaurant floor and nods to the indigo dye Ao blue, which is traditionally produced on the island of Shikoku near the Seto Sea and used for prints.
    “I wanted to retain the dark blue from the Paris location [of the hotel], so I collaborated with Rowin Atelier to incorporate this colour into the rug, creating a wave-like effect,” Bonnel explained.

    ORA utilises LA’s fallen street trees inside Uchi West Hollywood restaurant

    “The sofas, also dark blue, are part of this wave,” she added. “I chose the soft pink seats to complement the Versylis marble and add warmth.”
    The restaurant also features pieces by artists Célia Bertrand, Silver Sentimenti and Caroline Désile.
    Designer Laurence Bonnel drew on influences from France and JapanThe decision to base the restaurant on the Seto Inland Sea archipelago came about as it has a recognisable geography, which is often depicted on the Japanese prints made with dye from the Shikoku island.
    “The Seto Inland Sea, with its thousands of islands and jagged coastline, served as our inspiration,” Rowin Atelier told Dezeen.
    “Our aesthetic desire was based on Japanese prints (Ukiyo-e) and the indigo colour, combined with the region’s distinctive geography,” the studio added.
    “It is also an idea of the shore where the waves run aground. The Shikoku island is the traditional island of indigo culture.”
    Soft pink seats were chosen to add warmth to the spaceOther Japanese restaurants recently featured on Dezeen include one in Los Angeles decorated with fallen street trees and another in Paris with an interior informed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs.
    The photography is by Sébastien Veronese.

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      Locus uses recycled materials for Mexico City restaurant interior

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      Mexican design studio Locus has utilised 50 per cent recycled materials for the interiors of a Singaporean restaurant in Mexico City.

      Combining the varied flavours of Southeast Asia typical of Singapore’s cuisine, Makan serves customers within an industrial-style space in the Centro district of the Mexican capital.
      Makan occupies an industrial-style space in Mexico City’s Centro neighbourhoodDesigners Jachen Schleich and Sana Frini of Locus aimed to prioritise environmental responsibility with the project, and so used recycled materials for half of the total fit-out.
      “From the conception stage, the use of sustainable materials was prioritised, particularly the use of national white oak wood in much of the interior design,” said the studio.
      The restaurant’s open kitchen is framed by the exposed concrete structure”This choice not only highlights the natural beauty of the surroundings but also ensures proper management of natural resources, promoting environmental conservation and supporting the local industry sustainably,” the team added.

      The white oak forms counters, shelving and built-in seating throughout the space, contrasting the exposed concrete floors, columns and ceiling.
      Wooden bench seating is built around the perimeter and a circular banquette is tucked into a cornerThe restaurant has street frontage on two sides, allowing the dining area to be flooded with natural light from tall operable windows.
      This minimises the need for artificial light and air conditioning during the day, reducing electricity usage.
      Private dining rooms are concealed behind sliding paper screensFreestanding tables and chairs supplement the booth seating around the perimeter, which includes a curved unit for large parties tucked into a corner.
      Shelves above the banquettes are filled with wine bottles, glassware and other accessories, while open storage units are suspended above the two service counters.
      The private rooms feature sunken floors and bench seats, and can be opened up to one anotherAlong one side is a series of private dining spaces behind paper screens, with sunken floors and wooden bench seating.
      These rooms, which more closely reflect Asian dining traditions, can be opened up to one another via more screens,

      MYT+GLVDK creates industrial-style restaurant in Mexico City

      Behind the bar and open kitchen and across the bathroom walls, vertical timber boards are charred to a black finish.
      “This technique not only adds a visually appealing element but also ensures durability and resistance, eliminating the need for harmful chemical treatments to the environment and health,” said Locus.
      Open shelving is suspended above the bar counter as well as the open kitchen service areaPlanters large and small are peppered throughout the restaurant, adding greenery to the interior.
      Overall, the tall ceilings, large windows and open kitchen create a light and airy atmosphere, while the material add an industrial edge.
      Charred wood lines the walls in the bathroomsAs Mexico City’s food scene continues to grow, several gastro options with interesting interiors have opened over the past few months.
      These range from a boba tea shop by Worc Studio to an industrial-style restaurant by MYT+GLVDK and a tiny taqueria by RA!.
      The photography is by Rafael Gamo.
      Project credits:
      Locus team: Jachen Schleich, Sana FriniDesign team: Santiago Sitten, Ruy Berumen, Eduardo SilvaLighting: Locus x Estudio NuumbraSinks: Locus x Muebles de ConcretoChairs: Locus x Taller NacionalArt: It’s A Living, Sindrome de ClerambaultGraphic design: Foreign Policy Design

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      ORA utilises LA’s fallen street trees inside Uchi West Hollywood restaurant

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      Vertical fins of live-edge wood, which was sourced from fallen street trees, divide spaces at this Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles by local studio ORA.

      Uchi West Hollywood is the first West Coast location for chef Tyson Cole’s Austin-based chain, operated by Hai Hospitality Group.
      Fallen street trees sourced from across LA form spatial dividers through the restaurantSituated on a prominent corner along Santa Monica Boulevard, the 5,200-square-foot (483-square-metre) restaurant seats 160 covers amongst a timber-dominant interior.
      “We collaborated closely with local artists, makers and craftsmen, elevating humble natural materials to create a sense of surprise and connection to the unexpected natural beauty and spirit of our city,” said ORA founding principal Oonagh Ryan.
      Custom pieces created for the space include a sculptural light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa above the bar counterOne of the main collaborations for this project was with Angel City Lumber, which sourced wood from 25 Aleppo Pine trees that had fallen across 14 different city neighbourhoods.

      “With an average diameter of 30 inches and an average length of nine feet, nearly 26 tons of local LA trees were turned into wood for Uchi,” said the team.
      The live-edge wood boards trace sinuous lines through the space, creating more intimate seating areasThe 42 logs from these trees were cut into live-edge boards of varied lengths, and suspended vertically from the restaurant’s ceiling to form spatial dividers.
      The panels follow sinuous lines that demarcate seating areas, and are followed around the top by vertical wood bands that conceal cove lighting designed by Dot Dash.
      Travertine is mounted behind the sushi barIn between, hand-troweled plaster across the ceiling helps to improve acoustics in the space.
      Meanwhile, custom concrete planters by landscape firm SBLA run underneath the dividers and extend out to a patio with further dining space.
      Light boxes above the banquettes create silhouettes of the decorative objects displayed in frontThe remainder of the earth-toned material palette is dominated by woods such as white oak and walnut, complemented by upholstery from Maharam, Knoll and Carol Leather.
      At the perimeter, bespoke booth seating by ORA is placed below glowing light boxes that create silhouettes of decorative objects displayed on shelves in front.

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      Striations in travertine panels mounted behind both the sushi bar and drinks bar are accentuated by thin metal shelves for storing dishes and bottles respectively.
      Also in the bar area, a custom sculptural light fixture created by LA artist Kazuki Takizawa to evoke cherry blossoms hangs above the end of the stone counter.
      Custom concrete planters below the wooden board dividers extend out to the patio dining areaBoth the solid white oak and brass bar stools by Lawson-Fenning and the handmade ceramic lamps by Ceramicah were made locally.
      Other California-based artists represented in the space include Liisa Liiva, Molly Haynes, Rajiv Khilnani and Rachel Duvall.
      The corridor to the bathrooms is lined with thin wooden stripsThe bathrooms are reached via a corridor lined with thin vertical wooden strips, and are themselves clad in dark grey tiles.
      Uchi – which means “house” in Japanese – also has locations in Austin, Miami, Dallas and Denver, while its sister brand Uchiko has an outpost in Houston designed by Michael Hsu.
      The photography is by Eric Staudenmaier.
      Project credits:
      Architect: ORAInterior design: ORAFurniture and accessories: Hai Hospitality and ORALighting: Dot DashLandscape: Stephen Billings Landscape ArchitectsStructural: Nous EngineeringMechanical: Engineered SolutionsElectrical: TEK Engineering GroupFoodservice design: MyersContractor: Build GroupLumber shop: Angel City LumberMillwork fabricator: Architectural Woodwork of Montana

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      Hallmarks of British pubs and French brasseries meet in Henri restaurant interior

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      French interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon has converted the restaurant of London’s Henrietta Hotel into an homage to Parisian bistros for chef Jackson Boxer.

      Set on the ground floor of the hotel’s 19th-century townhouse in Covent Garden, Henri serves classic French dishes with a British twist – and British produce – from grilled snails on skewers to a raclette burger au poivre.
      Henri is the restaurant of London boutique hotel HenriettaThe mishmash of influences in Boxer’s cooking is also reflected in Meilichzon’s interiors, where art nouveau details rub shoulders with the oakwood panelling and leather upholstery found in London’s public houses.
      “We have designed an interior that mixes the relaxed style of a traditional British pub with the elegance of a typical French brasserie,” the designer told Dezeen.
      The interior merges typical features of pubs and brasseriesGuests enter the restaurant via an informal bar area, where snacks and aperitifs are served on red Coralito marble counters.

      Bulbous brass lights and table lamps with scalloped shades informed by plum blossoms provide points of brightness in the dimly lit interior, chosen as a tribute to Covent Garden’s former life as a fruit and vegetable market.
      Meilichzon created custom seating banquettes for the restaurantForest-green paint adds to the cosy pub atmosphere, together with the dark timber wainscoting and the bar with its leather-upholstered stools.
      The entrance also introduces Belle Epoque details such as spherical lights and gridded mirrored panels to create a sense of continuity with the main dining room.

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      “We have used some art nouveau elements typical in a brasserie: the detail on the arms of the banquettes, frosted glass globes, Thonet chairs and bespoke organic suspensions,” Meilichzon said.
      Despite the restaurant’s small footprint, Meilichzon managed to squeeze in several banquettes with decoratively curved backrests and hidden cutlery storage, designed bespoke for the interior.
      The benches are finished in velvet and leatherNear the entrance, there are smaller booths upholstered in duck-egg blue leather and velvet, with a lacquered frame in a darker midnight hue.
      But as the space widens towards the open kitchen at the back, the palette becomes warmer and cosier with terracotta wall tiles and larger banquettes for sharing, finished in rust-coloured velvet with glossy red arms and backrests.
      The restaurant’s existing ceiling murals were retainedAccompanied by classic bentwood bistro chairs from Thonet, Henri’s marble-topped tables with their dramatic skirts were also custom-made for the restaurant.
      Ornamentation is provided by an eclectic mix of artworks and photographs, framed alongside several mirrors and blackboards listing the daily specials.
      Meilichzon also created custom marble-topped tables for the restaurantMeilichzon also retained the restaurant’s existing floral ceiling murals, hand-painted on-site by French artists, that provide a counterweight to the rigid grid of the honeycomb parquet flooring.
      Henri is the latest in a long line of collaborations between Meilichzon and the Experimental Group, a French hospitality group for which she has also designed hotels in Venice, Ibiza, Biarritz and the Cotswolds.
      The photography is by WeTheFoodSnobs.

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      Sullivan’s Fish Camp designed so “guests can’t be sure if it’s 1982 or 2024”

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      South Carolina-based studios SDCO and Basic Projects have overhauled a seaside restaurant in Charleston with a nostalgic design that extends across everything from interiors to memorabilia.

      Contemporary details feature throughout the redesigned Sullivan’s Fish Camp, but are interwoven with retro elements to create an aesthetic that respects the restaurant’s long history.
      Sullivan’s Fish Camp is a family-owned diner that first opened in 1988Located on Sullivan’s Island, at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, the family-owned diner has been serving cold beers and seafood to locals and beachgoers for over 35 years.
      Amy Pastre and Courtney Rowson of brand strategy studio SDCO worked closely with Kate and Ben Towill of interiors studio Basic Projects to bring a cohesive visual identity throughout.
      Large hand-painted letters boldly spell out the restaurant’s nameBold typography, cartoon-style illustrations, vintage art and furniture, and playful messaging all feature in the reimagined restaurant experience.

      “The design intent was to create a world that conjures the delight and affection that generations of beachgoers had for the original, family-owned restaurant,” said Pastre and Rowson.
      “Some details feel modern, some nostalgic. Experienced together, guests can’t be sure if it’s 1982 or 2024.”
      The graphic design identity includes drawings of the building’s exteriorOn the outside, Sullivan’s Fish Camp is spelt out in large hand-painted letters across a projecting red roof canopy, identifying the restaurant as a local landmark.
      Other graphic-design identifiers include drawings of the building’s exterior and two hand-drawn characters: a “cheery flounder” and Captain Sully, a “salty sea captain-meets-fish”.
      Both vintage and contemporary artworks cover the wallsThe restaurant’s interior walls are covered in artworks that continue the seaside and maritime themes, from a stitched portrait of a fisherman to a lobster painting by local artist Katherine Dunlap.
      Commissioned works include fish illustrations by “Carolina legend” Duane Raver, whose work also features on the placemats, and a large sculpture of a marlin fish.

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      “It was important to preserve what felt inherently right for the story and space,” said Pastre and Rowson.
      “We wanted to pay homage to seaside fish camps while bringing modernity to the brand and experience,” they said. “No corner was left untouched.”
      Artworks include a stitched portrait of a fishermanThe designers commissioned a local joiner to build furniture elements, including tables, seating banquettes, and a counter that frames the merchandise display and walk-up ice cream window.
      Basic Projects sourced many of the other furniture and lighting elements from antique markets, as well as from Ebay and Etsy. A stained glass pendant lamp is one of the most striking finds.
      “My background is in film set design, so I loved every bit of the sourcing,” said Kate Towill.
      A counter frames the merchandise display and a walk-up ice cream windowDurability was an important consideration; heavy rain and high tides can cause the restaurant to flood, while beachgoers bring plenty of sand in on their feet.
      “We welcome sandy and salty beachgoers,” said Towill.
      “The floors are VCT (vinyl composition tiles) and all the wood is pressure-treated and sealed with marine-grade sealer.”
      Illustrations by “Carolina legend” Duane Raver feature on the placematsSDCO designed an extensive range of merchandise, including key chains, hats, tote bags, sweatshirts, T-shirts, bottle openers and bumper stickers.
      Custom design also extends to the tableware.
      Cups are emblazoned with the Sullivan’s Fish Camp branding, while plates feature scalloped seashell illustrations that reference the border of the original 1988 menu.
      T-shirts feature Captain Sully, a “salty sea captain-meets-fish””The result is a feel-good space that quite literally takes you on a journey through food, drink, design, nostalgia and souvenirs that create indelible memories,” added Pastre and Rowson.
      Sullivan’s Fish Camp is the latest in a series of notable design projects in Charleston, a town that has seen an influx of creatives over the past decade.
      Others include boutique hotel Post House, also designed by Basic Projects, and the newly opened International African American Museum, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Moody Nolan.

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      Rudy Guénaire draws on American modernism for Matsuri restaurant interior

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      French designer Rudy Guénaire has created the interiors of Japanese restaurant Matsuri in Paris, combining wooden furniture covered in lacquer with pastel-coloured domes informed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

      Located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement, the 200-square-metre restaurant was given a full redesign by Guénaire.
      As the menu focuses on “Japanese sushi from a Californian angle”, Guénaire drew on Japonisme – the Western fascination with Japanese design – for its interior.
      Matsuri is located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement”I drew on everything that has marked me from these two countries that I adore,” Guénaire, who runs Nightflight Studio, told Dezeen.
      “From Japan, I took this idea that fascinates me, which is that the Japanese frame everything,” he added.

      “As if everything had to be an island, firmly delimited by something that protects it and makes it unique.”
      Rudy Guénaire referenced American modernist design for the interiorThe American influence comes across in the shapes used to decorate the interior, which features colourful ceiling domes that are lit from the inside.
      “From California, I took these incredible obliques that make me melt,” Guénaire said. “The kind you find in Frank Lloyd Wright or John Lautner’s work.”
      “A slant that recalls the Native American tent, the primordial shelter,” he added.
      “American modernists loved Japan and sometimes, they’d never even been there. It’s this Japonism that I wanted to prolong.”
      The restaurant features Japanese postersAt the centre of Matsuri is the kaiten – conveyor belt – on which the sushi comes out. The designer used wood throughout the restaurant and covered it in lacquer for this centrepiece.
      “The kaiten is covered in high-gloss lacquer, reminiscent of the beautiful lacquer worshipped by the Chinese and then the Japanese,” he said.
      “I used wood throughout because in Japan, everything is made of wood, that’s just the way it is and has to be!”
      The central kaiten was covered in glossy lacquerPastel-hued domes decorate the ceiling above the kaiten, creating soft lighting and adding a touch of colour to the mainly white and wood interior.
      “For the ceiling, I think I got the idea from the amazing ceiling of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Penfield House,” Guénaire said.
      “I used industrial skydomes that I turned upside down and lit from the inside.”

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      The colour was toned down to create the right atmosphere for the restaurant.
      “We set up a sophisticated lighting system with very subtle colour control,” Guénaire added.
      “I chose cheerful, very American colour bases, and then, we subtly desaturated them to approach the Japanese aesthetic where nothing is ever garish.”
      Guénaire added pastel-coloured domes to the ceilingGuénaire also designed chairs for Matsuri that draw on those found in traditional Izakayas – Japanese pubs – though he says the original ones don’t correspond to his memories of them.
      “While searching for photos of Izakaya, I never found this chair shape,” the designer said.
      “Yet, as I recall, it’s exactly this chair that I’ve seen everywhere. All small and cute,” he added.
      “Maybe that’s what Japonism is all about. You invent a lot when you think you’re bringing back memories.”
      The designer created chairs that reference Izakaya furnitureThe interior of Matsuri, which is part of a restaurant chain founded in 1986 by a French-Japanese couple, is also decorated with old posters brought back from Japan.
      “We always have friends coming back from Japan. We asked them for a little help!” Guénaire said.
      Other Japanese restaurants on Dezeen include a sushi restaurant and sake bar with oxblood tiles and the Aragawa steakhouse selling “UK’s most expensive steak”.
      The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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      Quincoces-Dragò & Partners creates “relaxed, seductive ambience” for Mayfair restaurant

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      Architecture studio Quincoces-Dragò & Partners has unveiled The Dover restaurant in Mayfair, London, which was informed by art deco design.

      The first solo venture from Martin Kuczmarski, formerly group COO at Soho House, the restaurant was designed to be “unpretentiously elegant” and have a “relaxed, seductive ambience”.
      The long, narrow restaurant was made up of a series of dimly-lit spaces that were designed to be gradually unveiled.
      The interiors feature extensive panelling in American walnutEntering from the street, the fully glazed reception area is separated from the restaurant with a dramatic velvet curtain in deep burgundy.
      On parting the curtain, a long central corridor leads – across a black and white marble chequered floor – past a bar on one side, and open-plan and banquette seating on the other.

      The chequered runway continues between the bathrooms and private dining booths, before ascending a few steps into an intimate wood-panelled dining room “reminiscent of a bygone era of fine dining”.
      Curved dining booths feature Murano glass chandeliers”The space itself is challenging – long and narrow with a major corridor connecting the main areas, which is where we ended up creating the most intimate booths of the whole restaurant,” David Lopez Quincoces and Fanny Bauer Grung of Quinconces-Dragò & Partners told Dezeen.
      The three private dining booths, in curved dark wood panelling, each feature a Murano glass chandelier by Venini.
      Curved wood panelling is used in the dining roomKuczmarski described the spaces of The Dover as “a buzzy bar, intimate dining booths, and then the main dining room”.
      “The shape of the space has become part of the customer journey,” he added.
      Kuczmarski worked closely with Milan-based Quincoces-Dragò & Partners on the design, aiming for a “contemporary art deco vibe” achieved through dim lights, curved American walnut panelling, contrasting textures and the chequered floor.
      Lighting fixtures are a mix of modern and art decoWood panelling is the main element in the restaurant, which the designers said “creates intimacy whilst nodding to tradition”.
      The curved panelling for the dining booths is echoed in curved corners and ceilings of the main dining room, which is a fully panelled space.

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      Velvet upholstery was chosen, in part, to manage the acoustics – a “fundamental aspect when designing the space”, Quincoces and Grung explained.
      The black and white chequerboard floor was made from nero marquinia and calacatta marble, which are both characterised by a veined appearance, softening the solid colour.
      Brass accents feature throughoutBrass lamp stands, with shades reminiscent of wood veneer, line the bar.
      The design of the interiors is “simple and straightforward when looking at it plainly, but rich with many details as you discover it piece by piece” said the designers.
      “The secret to good design is detail, detail, and more detail – and above all proportions!”
      Three private dining booths make up one area of the spaceRelief from the comprehensive wood-panelling comes in the form of red lacquered display cabinets.
      Wall lights with art deco glass sconces and a curved corrugated perspex panel in the dining room further break up the wood panelling.
      A curved corrugated perspex panel breaks up the wood panellingThe panel traverses from wall into ceiling in the dining room and functions as a “non-window” to prevent the space from feeling confined in wood panelling.
      With Kuczmarski, Quincoces-Dragò & Partners worked to create “an atmosphere that is welcoming – one that, as Martin says, ‘makes you feel good at first glance'”.
      The central corridor leads past the bar through to private booths and dining room beyond”The spirit of art deco – which is serious but playful, lush while elegant – inspired us tremendously when Martin spoke to us of his idea for The Dover,” Quincoces and Grung explained.
      Other Mayfair restaurants recently featured on Dezeen include Tutto Bene’s “sombre elegance” for the interiors of Nightingale and Japanese steakhouse Aragawa’s London outpost, featuring Rosendale Design’s paper pendant lights.
      Photography is by Matt Russell, courtesy of The Dover

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      Neuhäusl Hunal coverts interwar cinema into “morning to night” dining venue

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      A neutral colour palette unites the restaurant, bar and shop within a former interwar cinema and 19th century stables in Prague, which has been converted by local studio Neuhäusl Hunal.

      Named Alma, after the cinema that used to occupy the site, the 800-square-metre space was renovated by Neuhäusl Hunal.
      Understated lighting accentuates the original features of the cafe spaceThe ground floor was converted into a restaurant alongside a cafe, wine bar, wine shop and garden area, while the basement level contains a bar – which doubles as a nightclub – a function hall, a fermentation room and a room dedicated to wine tasting.
      A colour palette dominated by sober, earthy tones was used to instil a laid-back yet refined atmosphere, which is the hallmark of all of operator Kro’s locations. As well as uniting various functions and purposes, the design scheme ties various architectural styles together, as the site contains a myriad of structures from a range of time periods.
      A wine shop is found on the ground floor”The Alma project is housed in three buildings – the many-times-rebuilt classicistic house and the former stables in the courtyard date back to the 19th century,” Neuhäusl Hunal told Dezeen.

      “The Alma cinema – which houses the restaurant today – was completed in 1924.”
      “There was no significant interior work to react to – except, of course, for the original historic structures and vaults, which we wanted to let shine,” the studio continued.
      The restaurant has both wooden and metallic furnishingsRepeated elements found throughout the interiors include unobtrusive lighting fixtures, which serve to provide task and ambient lighting as well as to highlight the space’s original features, and tiled walls, which gradually darken from a light beige in the cafe to a dark tone in the subterranean bar.
      In contrast with the overall muted interiors, graphic designer Jan Horčík created a bold wayfinding system characterised by chunky uppercase lettering displayed on illuminated light boxes.

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      “The sober interior is complemented by funky lightboxes, which illuminate it with their novel colours, formulations and graphic design,” said the studio.
      “Alma works from morning to night: the day starts in the cafe, lunch and dinner can be sorted out in the restaurant, and then move on to the wine bar for a drink – this naturally corresponds to their designed character, colour, and atmosphere,” it continued.
      “Logically, we treat brand-new constructions and historic ones differently – an interesting problem arises in the transitions between these spaces.”
      The bar has an intimate atmosphere thanks to its vaulted ceilingNeuhäusl Hunal has completed a number of projects in the Prague, including an apartment for a sculptor that doubles as a workshop.
      Other recent adaptive reuse projects published on Dezeen include a guesthouse in Transylvania that used to be a church and a city hall inside a former maritime structure in the Netherlands.
      The photography is by Radek Úlehla.
      Project credits:
      Client: Alma PragueBuilding contractor: AversProject documentation: LZ atelierGraphic design: Jan HorčíkArt blacksmith: Peter Demek (DEMO Works)Lighting supplier: BulbCeramic tiling supplier: KeraservisGastro: Kitchen PlanPlants: Pokojovky

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      Omar Aqeel brings “sensory fantasy” to NYC bar Only Love Strangers

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      Cobalt blue surfaces line this bar and restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, designed by Brooklyn-based Studio Omar Aqeel as a “retro-futuristic oasis”.

      On the corner of East Houston and Allen streets, Only Love Strangers is a two-level cocktail lounge, restaurant and live-music venue that draws influences from 1960s and 70s surrealism.
      Guests arriving at Only Love Strangers are greeted at a cantilevered host stand within a limewashed spaceStudio Omar Aqeel blended references ranging from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey movie and Eileen Gray’s E-1027 villa to the sculptures of Alexander Calder for the interiors.
      “A site of sensory fantasy – especially for discerning creatives – Only Love Strangers boasts a unique aesthetic that encourages endless discovery,” said the team.
      An arched opening leads into a bar area lined floor to ceiling with cobalt blue tilesGuests who enter the 6,300-square-foot (585-square-metre) space are greeted at a cantilevered, brushed-aluminium host stand.

      Straight ahead, through an arched opening, is a bar area enveloped in floor-to-ceiling cobalt blue tiles with blue grouting.
      Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textileA brushed-aluminium bar counter has rounded ends echoed by a light fixture above, and industrial-style bar stools provide seating for seven.
      Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textile, adding space for eight more guests.
      Cobalt blue continues as an accent on seat cushions in the main dining spaceIn the main dining space, left of the entrance, the walls are covered in earthy limewash that contrasts the bright blue cushions of built-in seats.
      “Here, a voyeuristic egress allows guests to peek into the subterranean lounge, while domed dining niches with blue crescent-shaped booths provide a more intimate dining atmosphere,” the team said.
      The private dining space is decorated with a mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract gridThe private dining space for up to 10 guests is decorated with a wall-to-wall, hand-painted mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract grid.
      With its own entrance, this space includes Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a vintage Makio Hasuike for Seccose metro dining table, and Maru pendant lighting by Ingo Maurer.

      Bird feathers and burls inform New York restaurant by Polonsky & Friends

      Cobalt blue reappears across the basement-level lounge, where almost every surface is dressed in the bold hue.
      Aluminium accents continue in this space too, along with a variety of playful lights that add a warm glow to the cool-toned space.
      The basement-level cocktail lounge is also lined almost entirely in cobalt bluePieces by New York-based artists and designers can be found throughout Only Love Strangers, including Max Simon, Blue Green Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen, and Lucas Willing Studios.
      The lounge also offers a live music program of local jazz talent in the evenings.
      The lounge features aluminium furniture and hosts live music performancesThe lively Lower East Side neighbourhood is packed with bars and restaurants, such as Italian spot Una Pizza Napoletana with “deco meets industrial” interiors.
      Boutiques that have recently opened in the area include the Le Père menswear store by BoND and the Awake NY streetwear shop by Rafael de Cárdenas.
      The photography is by Ori Harpaz.

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