Crafted by the forces of nature, Kaiyo is a high concept Japanese bar and all-day dining owned by one of Indonesia's most prominent hospitality groups, the Boga Group.
All design works are done as part of BrandWorks and Minded Studio team.
SUSHI KAIYO introduces a Japanese-Scandinavian inspired “Japandi” experience, fusing design principals from both cultures to form a modern interpretation to time-honored traditions. In its own way, Sushi Kaiyo translates various typologies surrounding the dining experience. Held within a three storey restaurant, it boasts a street facing retail area, a sushi bar, VIP rooms, childrens play area and show kitchen. All of these spaces are weaved together via an impressive main staircase, inspired as a stairway to heaven from the depths of the ocean to the lightness of the sky.
Taking inspiration from the tactile and emotive principles of 'Earth, Wind and Fire', the interior finishes and aesthetics have been carefully chosen to 'gradient upward'. On the ground floor is located the bar and izakaya. As you enter underneath the grand staircase and beyond the retail pantry, you are greeted with a 'theatre in the round' style cocktail bar. Warm mood lighting and dark surfaces inspire an intimate feel where drinks and food are prepared behind a signature circular bar. The back bar features a mirrored curve to mimic that of a wave and the industrial ceiling is softened by a batten system connecting the design detailing to the ribs of the feature staircase.
The staircase has been designed in collaboration with architecture studio AT-LARS. Following from the concept of the ocean layers, the stair is suspended from the ceiling and visually pulls you upward almost like sun streaming through water. Raked plaster and rendered surfaces flanking the stair seem to change and get lighter.
The mezzanine is dedicated to restaurant seating and the staircase works as a backdrop accentuating verticality in a space that tackles a low ceiling. Orb style feature lighting is suspended in the centre of the stair void to mimic air escaping water as you move upward from the depths of the ocean floor.
As you ascend to the top floor of the restaurant all finishes are bright and airy, materiality is soft and ethereal to make you feel like you've ascended to the top of the ocean's surface. The air bubble inspired lighting becomes more concentrated and tiered bleacher style seating has been designed to make the show kitchen take centre stage. Curtains adorn the ceiling to evoke feelings of waves lapping at the top of the ocean's surface. A custom artwork with recessed LED lighting accentuates the drama and tempermentality of the atmosphere, whilst all other surfaces are rendered in a white concrete hue.
It was imperative that all materials were meticulously chosen to support the ocean journey and gradient concept. On the ground floor the timber is dark smokey walnut, upholstery is deep ocean blue and all mirrored surfaces are smoked as well. As you move upward, upholsteries change, custom shibori cushions adorn the banquette where the timber has become lighter and the surfaces brighter. On the top floor of the restaurant we see the shibori change to a light grey tone and surfaces are lighter still. This same shibori design has been used for the retail packaging, which weaves in brand reinforcement in the most subtle way. The natural stone is white with delicate lighting style striations and the veneer has been customized with a light lime wash.
In the private dining we wanted to juxtapose this ethereality so we made all surfaces dark and moody, the timbers turn back to smoked walnut, with the carpet being a customised design to mimic an angry stormy sky. Showing the atmospheric changes throughout the one level.
The site that we inherited was a challenge with existing structure and mechanical work, unstable subfloors and a lot of services disrupting the potential of the floorplan. We had to work with tight footprints on the horizontal plain whilst at the same time unlocking the potential of the space.
Photography by Sefval Mogalana
