The intention was to create more than just a restaurant by crafting a visually immersive experience of the Asian culture and setting the standard a class apart for the flagship outlet of the brand with an earthy and biophilic language.
Culturally relevant
A sumptuous 6,000 square feet expanse is sculpted into a lively biophilic outdoor space and an invitingly earthy indoor dining space. Â Every corner and design element of this sensuous space is the result of carefully researched social and cultural context that exudes the warmth and vibrance of Asian culture. Sumessh visualized the complete outdoor space to look like a conservatory outdoor dining space that is wrapped in a biophilic enhanced metal enclosure module which both defines the space as well as creates the perfect outdoor ambience!
A major challenge were the strict guidelines laid down on the property wherein no fixed structure was permitted in the interiors. Not even electrical wiring could be pulled through the floor and nothing could even be screwed down to the floor! This led to the development of free standing cage like metal structures that were all interconnected through which all the wiring runs and creates the perfect biophilic design element!
Sculpting a signature look
The material palette used was an earthy mix of materials like natural stone, wood, cane and jute or the rich, deep tones of greys, browns and burgundy mixed with intriguing elements of floral artwork and Asian inspired sculptures. The flooring is an in-situ concrete custom design done with floral imprints and inlays to mirror the patterns in the ceiling above and the columns are all treated to look like sculpted stone pillars.
One-of-a-kind works of art
As soon as one enters, your attention is caught by the fascinating custom light installation that spans the entire ceiling of the space. Custom-made in natural wood and jute fabric with floral motifs, the sculptural light feature stands as the focal beauty of the whole space. The iconic vertical bottle display is touted to be one of the largest ones done and admittedly the most stunning one.
A signature design element for the designer as well as the brand was the hand carved wooden feature wall that stands as a backdrop to a long seating space wrapped in a warm textural blend of cane and deep red leather.
Fact file:
Name of the project: Yazu
Location: Lower Parel, Mumbai
Area: 6,000 sq ft
Type: Hospitality interior design
Design firm: Sumessh Menon Associates
Lead designer: Sumessh Menon
Photography: 21 Frames
