MMA designed a new Italian restaurant "RAMA" in a red building located on a back street off the main street in Shirogane. For a small restaurant with only nine seats, we designed a large curved counter in the center of the restaurant, where guests can sit in an arc around the kitchen. People passing by on the street can see through the large windows the conviviality of guests enjoying conversation with meals and drinks. It has become a part of the street’s landscape.
The main material for the counter is cast stone, which is concrete with colored powder, gravel, and small stones, cast into the shape of the counter on site, embedded with the logo parts made of brass, and polished at the site. The counter is polished until it has a slippery surface, and the brass catches the light and makes it glisten. In addition, a small counter made of oak wood is lowered one level from the main counter to place a handtowel, smart phone or the guests can place their elbows.
Red color is added to the tabletop to make the food look vivid, and brass lights on the table create a light boundary between the kitchen and the guests. The Chiavari chair designed by Kensaku Oshiro is beautifully set to emphasize the curve of the counter and to suggest playfulness. To make the logo of RAMA, designed by Shohei Sawada, integrated with the interior decoration, the curved counter is embedded with tiny parts of the logo. These brass pieces are designed to become the RAMA logo when collected. The tableware used in the restaurant was chosen to match the color of the counter. The new Italian cuisine using Japanese ingredients served on beautiful tableware and harmonized with the space enhances the dining experience.
