Opposites rule: light and darkness create an ideal separation, so the same space can serve the two souls in Japs! – fast and slow. This was a 360° project that went from interior decor to branding, connecting every aspect: for example, the decorative motif in the logo became a graphic and architectural element, in a relationship of perfect symmetry between image and architecture. Now each Japs! restaurant offers a different Japanese specialty, effectively connoting the chain’s different venues and sparking clients’ curiosity.

Japs! – Carlo Alberto was the first restaurant to introduce Turin to traditional izakaya, the Japanese after-work venue par excellence. In this, designing the new counter – a western interpretation of inspiration found in typical Japanese pubs – played a crucial role.

Taking into consideration the venue’s size, benches replaced the shared table while still maintaining the darker area’s fast-paced and informal mood. The blond wood box was resized and made more dynamic: a diagonal line adds movement to the series of beams and the trapezoidal table seems to swell, tricking the viewer’s eye.