The project takes the given general layout as a base with a few variations and focalize the design to finishes shape up in order to create a distinctive atmosphere. The idea is to combine lights, materials, walls, ceiling, paving, furnishing, in a whole cozy environment as you can find in a Japanese house or garden of wonders. A wooden bands folded surface goes from floor to ceiling enclosing and unifying all the rooms. Between the bands, inside a very thin loophole, some changing colors led strips enlighten a blossoming petals fall made of suspended transparent polycarbonate panels with flowers printing on them. The aim is to amaze the clients with a soft color effect, sequentially changed, involving a "petals rain" which is traditionally representing a welcome symbol. Some bamboo sticks screens, lighted up from the floor, conduce people and mask as it needed, places, giving a touch of Japanese garden atmosphere. They grow from the ground but don’t touch the ceiling, allowing perception intuition to guess the bigness of the whole space. Two onyx volumes became the "landmarks" of the restaurant: one placed above the entrance and the other one as a "main wall" connected with the bar counter becoming the hearth of the family guest area. They are backlit to highlight the beauty of onyx (or alabaster) material and the dark metal laser cut "Shiro" signs stand out from them. A curtains screen shelter from the windows embracing the family guests area. They are designed as vertical panels created as Japanese flags, on some of them is printed a Japanese old painting and the color tone is that of gold and ochre. The lower ceiling (3,20 meters high) is consisting of the wooden stripes area while the higher part (3,40 meters high) is made of white plaster panels with hidden structure both designed to permit ducts and plant, mechanical and electrical, inspection. This system would give the necessary relevance to the part supporting the "petals drop". Same concept is used for paving: a part with dark wood bands and the rest finished with a "look like" onyx. The background wall of the sushi bar is covered with metal cladding panels that feature laser-cut phrases, possibly describing recipes. Behind the cuts some RGB led strips can change the background colors in accordance with petals color. Furniture are chosen with a criteria of geometrical simplicity. Reference design for chairs are LC7 (design Charlotte Perriand by Cassina), which features a simple geometrical round design, a comfortable seat and a cozy aspect. It could be whatever model featuring same qualities. Tables are made with a simple square section metal structure and with a simple plane in glass or white wood.
All of the suggested pieces of furniture could be easily custom built with easy to find materials.
On the Layout part, the project only modifies the toilets block on the left of the entrance to family guests area. It has been operated an optimization (keeping the same functional units) of measures to gain space for the family guests room in order to get more places (from 96pl. to 104 pl.) and to keep a good empty area at the entrance. Kitchen organizations and rooms are almost maintained as on given layout. In single guest area we have optimized the table organization obtaining a bit of places increment (from 31pl. to 33pl.).
The theme of the project is very interesting and the core of the work was centered on using every aspect of design to reach a cozy and astonishing Japanese atmosphere.