Читать книгу Contemporary Japanese Restaurant Design - Motoko Jitsukawa - Страница 8

Part 1

Contemporary Classics

In this traditionally designed tearoom, Koomon, designer Takayama focuses on the use of one contemporary material, acrylic resin board, within a traditional tea ceremony context.

One popular style of contemporary Japanese restaurant design introduces high-tech, modern materials into traditional contexts, evoking a sense of adventure and excitement in what are otherwise conventional Japanese dining environments. Some of these restaurant designs feature fiber-optic lighting, fittings, and ceilings made of acrylic resin boards, and wall coverings of plastic sheeting or rough fabric woven with stainless steel. A willingness to use synthetic materials in Traditional settings means that these designs offer a new take on the forms of the past.

XEX

Ryu Kosaka

Atagoyama, Tokyo

Guests are first shown to the bar which is connected to both restaurants, for drinks and fine views of Tokyo

Atagovama Hills is one of the new-generation high-rise buildings springing up in Tokyo. Occupying the entire 1,000 square meter (10,764 sq ft) space of the top floor of this building, XEX comprises two restaurants and a bar. Visitors leaving the lift on the 47th storey walk along a marble-floor corridor to the reception desk, where they are warmly greeted and shown to the bar.

The latter is connected to the two restaurants — one Italian and the other Japanese — and is furnished with comfortable sofas and tables separated by wooden latticework.

The three separate sections of the restaurant, each with its own distinct menu and atmosphere, do not limit guests' seating and dining options. If they are dining in the Italian restaurant, for example, they can also order sushi or sake from the Japanese restaurant. Hence, guests select their seating by mood rather than menu, and the role of the bar is not only to serve aperitifs but also to allow guests time to select their preferred dining spot.

To pass from the bar to the Italian restaurant, guests are guided through a long corridor, which is lit from above and below by soft light encased in acrylic panels.

The Japanese restaurant is linked to the bar via a narrow snaking passage with wood-paneled walls and black stepping stones set on white gravel stones.

The designer, Ryu Kosaka, explains that these passageways were designed for dramatic effect.

The rustic surface of the large, hand carved, wooden reception desk in the entrance area imparts a warm and homely feel, and contrasts with the metallic and other shiny materials used here.

The walls, the floor and the sliding doors of VIP room, situated behind the sushi counter, are all covered with washi (handmade paper) and coated with resin. The washi is colored using natural dyes such as persimmon extract or colored grass, and it creates a calm and relaxing atmosphere for guests.

The narrow passageway to the Japanese restaurant from the bar is designed like the entrance to an old temple, with white gravel beneath stepping stones.

"The bar and restaurants are designed in completely different styles. I hope that guests will experience a feeling of anticipation as they move from one area to another, all the while wondering what they will come upon when they arrive.''

The entrance area of the Japanese restaurant features a stone wall built in the hanchiku style, which makes use of white gravel and cement to create a delicate, irregular texture. Opposite this wall are a number of doors, made of carved naguri (traditionally hand carved) wooden boards, leading on to rooms for private parties of between six and ten people. Also near the entrance, a pool of water contained in a clear acrylic pool is set off by a large, rough stone basin, or tsukubai, from which water flows into the pool This tsukubai, which allows those taking part in tea ceremonies to wash their hands before entering, was chosen by the designer as a means of providing a contrast with the smooth, straight lines of the acrylic lining of the pool.

The restaurant includes a sushi bar and a counter serving aburiyaki (Japanese barbecue) grilled meats and vegetables Tucked discreetly behind the sushi bar is a VIP room with walls and floor covered with kakishibu-coated washi (handmade paper dyed with persimmon extract). The partition screens in the room are made of charcoal, which is both an attractive feature and effective at absorbing odor.

Of course one of XEX's most eye-catching features is the stunning view of Tokyo available from almost every table in the restaurant.

Completed in 2002. the Atagoyama Hills building is one of the most contemporary developments in Tokyo. Located on the top floor of this complex, XEX gives guests a fine view of Tokyo both in the daytime and at night.

The Japanese restaurant is divided into two sections: an aburiyaki section and a sushi section. In the former, pictured here, guests watch barbecued dishes being prepared in front of them. The counters are separated by wooden latticework made of wood and charcoal.

The walls leading to the entrance of the Japanese restaurant have been created using the traditional hanchiku process. The irregular surface provides an interesting effect when illuminated from the floor. In the pool, which is made of transparent acrylic boards, the water flows continuously from the tsukubai. The sound of water contributes to the sense of calm in the entrance hall.

A bonus for guests sitting at the sushi counter is a fine view from the wide window. The simple design of the pale wooden counter does not interfere with the scenery or the food.

Guests remove their shoes in the koagari section of the restaurant. The small wooden tables are separated by pressed metallic screens, which resemble bamboo netting. Their cool semi-transparent appearance provides guests with a feeling of spaciousness while preserving privacy.

Torafuku

Ryu Kosaka

Toranomon, Tokyo

The symbols of the restaurants are two large kamado for cooking rice, traditionally found in ordinary farm houses in Japan. The familiar round shape of the stoves contrasts with the sharp, modern style of the open kitchen.

Located in the atrium of an office building, this casual Japanese-style tavern has a 400 square meter (4,306 sq ft) floor area. Dominating the kitchen are two traditional clay kamado (stoves) for cooking rice.

Designer Ryu Kosaka has used traditional Japanese materials in unconventional ways. His emphasis is on simplicity and maintaining the natural appeal of the materials, which he believes gives the overall design a sophisticated feeling.

"The more processed or decorated a space is, the less attractive traditional materials become. It is necessary to expose the natural texture of the materials wherever possible," he says.

The restaurant offers two distinct seating styles' a raised-floor area (koagan) where cushions and low tables adorn raised tatami (woven straw) mats, and a section of taller tables and high backed chairs (doma). The walls of the koagari section are plastered with an ochre mud mixed with straw. This popular wall-surfacing technique not only has a pleasing appearance but the materials also deodorize the room. The rustic texture of the walls contrasts with the sleeker, checkered, wooden ceiling.

The flooring here consists of naguri (traditionally hand carved) wooden boards, woven bamboo mats, and washi (handmade paper), providing guests with various sensations as they walk over the mats in their stockinged feet.

The predominance of natural materials would have resulted in dull uniformity, so Kosaka introduces modern materials such as glass. In a striking example, Kosaka emphasizes the concrete posts in the tatami area with glass casings, instead of hiding them behind wood or mud. "This provides a kind of tension within the space," he says.

The design of Torafuku demonstrates the dynamic balance that is achievable through the thoughtful use of both traditional and modem materials.

Some tables are situated on the terrace in the atrium. Guests can dine in the open without being disturbed by the noise and dust from the streets.

In this room for private parties, guests can feel three different textures with their feet: the irregularly hand cut naguri boards, the cool and smooth touch of bamboo nets, and the soft touch of washi. The ceiling is covered with a basketwork of thinly sliced wood known as ajiro, a traditional style in old aristocratic houses. All these materials are traditional but Kosaka has provided an original twist by introducing new technology to produce them and by using unexpected colors and surfaces.

An uneven floor made from small pebbles covers the more casual doma section of the restaurant, where wooden tables arranged in rows.

The atmosphere of the koagari section is like a chic traditional Japanese rests rant, while the doma section, where large tables and chairs are situated, is more like a casual tavern.

The reception counter comprises a series of wooden boards pressed together and then hand carved with a special chisel, giving a sense of formality to the restaurant.

Cement pillars, normally hidden, are deliberately made conspicuous by glass coverings. The washi-covered walls, tatami-matted floor and ajiro ceiling are all balanced with the pillars to give this private room a very contemporary feeling.

The central feature on the first floor is a large brazier. Modeled after a traditional stove for cooking fish, it contrasts with the modern ventilation hood above.

Chokyaku Yowa

Masaaki Ohashi

Chofu, Tokyo

The name of this restaurant is taken from the title of a story about a fisherman boasting about the size of his catch; the menu accordingly emphasizes saltwater fish. Guests at Chokyaku Yowa cook their own fish over a charcoal fire using gotoku (traditional Japanese grills), in a manner that has been popular in Japan for almost 400 years. The owner loves fishing and keeps a boat for the purpose at a small island, about two hours off the Tokyo coast. Even when he is not fishing in the area, the owner has arranged for the local fishermen to send selected items from their catch to the restaurant every day.

From the outside, the restaurant appears like a white boat floating on a blue sea: within, the dining space resembles the interior of a fishing boat. Guests entering the restaurant are greeted both by the savory aroma of grilled fish and the sight of a large brazier under a striking ventilation hood. A number of porthole-like windows dot the walls, which are covered in washi (handmade paper) in shades ranging from orange to deep red. These paper surfaces are lit from the back, which produces a sunset-at-sea effect.

The first floor features a large irori (sunken hearth), and guests gather around this to place their skewered fish over the hot coals. The wall behind the hearth is also covered with washi. A number of smaller irori are also located on this floor, with large doughnut-shaped blue partitions, which are deliberately reminiscent of life preservers, providing a degree of privacy.

The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, and guests sometimes even exchange samples of grilled fish with diners at a neighboring hearth by passing the item through the center of the doughnut-shaped partitions! It is the sophisticated yet simple design of this restaurant that encourages this kind of friendly exchange and sets the tone for Chokyaku Yowa.

Located in the middle of a bustling shopping district, the restaurant has a façade that attracts much attention It resembles a fishing boat floating on a blue sea.

On the second floor, guests sit around a large irori, and roast fish and shellfish themselves. Large, blue donut-shape partitions separate each table.

The casual mood of the tavern attracts a lot of local guests who regularly visit and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. The design emphasizes the freshness and variety of the fish.

Bou's

Masasaaki Ohashi

Shinjuku, Tokyo

The pyramid shape lampshade covered with corrugated cardboard is one of the symbols of the restaurant. Thin, sharp rays of light leak through the joints of cardboard to shine on the floor.

The owner of this restaurant is particularly fond of wine and imports specially labeled wine from his favorite winery in France to serve his guests. He requested that designer Masaaki Ohashi create a place in which people enjoy wine as well as food from a menu featuring an original mixture of French, Italian, and Asian cooking.