Sumiyagura von ALTS Design Office | Restaurant-Interieurs

Fotograf: Fuji Shokai and Masahiko Nishida

This project is the reform of a tenant's unit on the 8th floor of Kyoto Building of Sumitomo Realty & Development located along Shijo Street, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto. The 7th and 8th floors of the building dedicated to restaurants, known as Kyoto Sumitomo Food Hall, have gone through an overall renewal. As the renewal took place with "Kyoto" as a common concept, the tenant's request was to ambiently feature colors and ornaments symbolic to Kyoto, such as lacquer, wood grains, lattices, etc. to express a comfortable space with touches of color combinations and materials subtly reminiscent of Japanese culture.

The aim was to create an upscale atmosphere, which is also open and approachable at the same time. Because the restaurant is specialized in eel (unagi) dishes, the owner wanted to welcome tourists from inside and outside of the country at the heart of Kyoto and entertain them with quintessential experiences of Japanese food and culture. Therefore, we chose Japanesque materials like wood, copper plates and ink-dyed mortars and examined decorations under the themes of Japanese culture and eel, the restaurant's speciality. The random arrangement of wooden lattices across the shop space is inspired by tebo, or eel-catching baskets.

Ink-dyed mortar is used for the floor to create a cozy atmosphere with the gentle use of black ink. The facade features copper plates. The surfaces of the dyed plates are acid-corroded to express the ever-changing water surface under which eels swim around. The impressive copper plates will catch people's eyes and invite them into the shop, where they can enjoy delectable eel dishes surrounded by the authentic Japanesque atmosphere while chatting away in multiple languages.

ALTS Design Office

Fotograf: Fuji Shokai and Masahiko Nishida