The design scenarios in contemporary commercial spaces are often unpredictable. Whether dealing with complex site conditions or unique operational strategies, designers are frequently required to find "multiple solutions" amidst the interplay of overlapping demands. In this project, two distinct dining brands had to coexist within a single space. The shared kitchen between the two brought complex MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) challenges. Furthermore, under the dual constraints of property management regulations and budget control, the facade renovation needed to establish clear boundaries for both brands. While these conditions were stringent, the brand narrative gradually emerged through the thoughtful resolution of each challenge.
1. Inserting the "Little Houses"
The site is located at the far end of a first-floor interior street in a shopping mall, away from the main exterior street. The shop has a long, narrow floor plan, and its L-shaped curtain wall allows natural light to enter from two directions. Two distinct dining brands—Go Far Yungui Bistro and Knockup Bistro—were required to share this space. Go Far Yungui Bistro has a clear spatial demand: continuing the design language of its first location, using a "de-wilderness" modern architectural language to evoke a poetic imagination of Yunnan and Guizhou. As a bistro, it naturally requires an inward-facing, enveloping, and intimate atmosphere. In contrast, Knockup Bistro is a Western restaurant focusing on all-day dining, including brunch and afternoon tea, requiring a transparent, open, and outward-facing environment.
The design responds to these two tendencies by establishing distinct zones. Three "little houses" were inserted at the intersection to serve as spatial dividers. The originally elongated and monotonous frontage was reorganized by a corridor, creating an intriguing experience of wandering through an alleyway. These newly inserted volumes function as private dining rooms to accommodate group gatherings. High windows, rotating mirrors, and polycarbonate sheets are integrated into them, utilizing reflection and transparency to create visual dislocations that break the dullness of enclosed spaces. One private room features doors facing different directions, allowing it to flexibly serve both restaurants as a shared transitional space. Meanwhile, the exterior boundary wall, through specific design treatments, creates an alleyway-like outdoor seating experience for Knockup Bistro.
2. Crafting "Light Columns" and "Folded Plates"
The first location of Go Far Yungui Bistro features a rooftop outdoor terrace, where the lighting atmosphere of the sunset embodies the relaxed feeling the brand wishes to convey. How could this imagery of a "sunset" be recreated within a constrained indoor environment? The design studied the sculptural volumetric lighting techniques of architect Francisco Mangado. Unavoidable vertical air conditioning pipes for the private rooms were wrapped into "luminous columns," resembling glowing chimneys. Artificial light beams pierce through the floor slab into the interior, recreating the spatial narrative of a sunset. Just as Olafur Eliasson used an artificial sun in The Weather Project to evoke a profound collective emotional connection, this design aims to use these light columns to allow guests to share a relaxed dining moment under the same "sunset."
On the other hand, the shared kitchen meant that the size of the exhaust equipment was effectively doubled. The visual clutter caused by exposed pipes was one issue, while the spatial oppression from the massive equipment volume was a deeper concern. Given budget and ceiling height limitations, a large-scale suspended ceiling was not feasible.
Therefore, the design adopted the "folded plate ceiling" language from the first Go Far Yungui Bistro location. This not only conceals the MEP pipes but also formally echoes the traditional Guizhou vernacular architecture of "using stone slates as roof tiles." Additionally, considering the lack of natural light deep within the space, the material of the folded plates shifted from the cascading forest green of the first store to pink concrete. This vibrant color alleviates the spatial enclosure and oppression, creating a lighter, floating sensation for the heavy "stone slab" imagery.
3. Dressing in a "New Coat"
The treatment of the exterior facade was similarly constrained by property management regulations and budget. Without the ability to alter the original curtain wall, the design chose to "dress the building in a new coat" by adding material layers directly to both the interior and exterior sides of the existing facade. These newly introduced surfaces also serve as the physical interface distinguishing the two brands. The facade for Go Far Yungui Bistro extends the interior materials, using limestone to create a solid and warm "stone house." Knockup Bistro, on the other hand, extensively uses wood panels to construct a "little wooden house" with a breathable, airy texture.
Simultaneously, sea-salt-inspired light blue door and window hardware was selected to nestle between the stone and wood. This fresh color not only subtly unifies the two brands visually but also adds a touch of rustic charm, blending the artificial with the natural.
4.Conclusion
The value of this project perhaps does not lie in proposing a novel concept, but in demonstrating a problem-oriented design methodology. When practical constraints are addressed one by one, the effectiveness of the design naturally emerges.
