Ensconced in a newly built complex inhabits a contemporary, one of its first Pan Asian restaurant, SOY in Pal, Surat. Deriving its name from soy sauce, which is considered almost as old as soy paste and it is one of the main ingredients of Asian cuisine. This interior project is rooted in creating holistic energies and offering an Asian cuisine inspired from the land of Japan, Korea, China, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It took around three months to transform this 2470 sq. ft space to a fine-dining restaurant.
The composition of minimal materials and colour palette was derived with the idea of Japanese minimalism that focuses on keeping life simple, clean, and uncluttered by living with just the essentials. This intentional minimalistic approach was to have things that support purpose and remove the distraction of excess possessions which can allow one to focus more on those things that matter the most. For this culturally rich ambience at SOY the idea was to have a timeless interior.
The restaurant opens its doors to a harmonious dining space. The entire space utilizes its simple grids to bifurcate into a private dining on the left seeking into a common dining space on the right. This area provides a perspective of an open 11m long kitchen counter that makes the users a part of the culinary process. The spaces of the restaurant, consisting of the main dining area and kitchen with utilities and the unique textures of plaster gives a rooted dining experience.
The black granite platform with two black island kitchens fuse with the subtle background making the food the protagonist. Grey and brown tones, textural walls and bold, curvilinear forms cohesively blend and transcend visual fluency thereby creating refreshing aesthetics. The space is infused with personally curated furniture. Furthermore, considering Hans Wagner’s Chairs as a case study for the design, the same was redesigned according to the anthropocentric requirements and context with a teak wood modification. Also, a unique design was decided for the tables with the combination of wood and metal with traditional Japanese joineries to add to the whole distinctive identity of the space. The serving station is designed to add privacy to the dining hall by creating partitions and also accommodates air conditioning leaving the ceiling open with minimal services. The Grey plastered ceiling is a background to the sleek designed lighting fixture and striking red fire sprinklers which standout of the Grey and brown interior. The Cementitious plaster tones of the dining area and dark black granite kitchen subtly change colour as the light penetrates through the front glass facade. A series of linen shear curtains on the facade frame tailored vistas through and between spaces, crafting intimate and intrigue yet diverse dining experience for the guests. At the same time, the customized lighting fixture, and curated chairs and dining tables add a layer of relaxed refinement that echoes the essence of the client’s culinary vision.
The design of SOY centers around an ever-evolving curation of experiences. It was imperative to stay clear of cliches and give the space its own distinctive identity. This restaurant intends to become a trademark for its aesthetics, relaxed luxury, offering a sense of earthy rawness combined with a memorable Asian dining experience. Every detail at SOY is an outcome of precisely researched social, historical and cultural context.
Team:
Architects: NEOGENESIS+STUDI0261
Text: Ar. Devanshi Shroff, Ar. Khushali Chaliawala
Photographer: Ishita Sitwala
Materials Used:
Flooring: R-black Granite, Honed Finish
\Interior lighting: Hanging Lights, Profile lights, Spot light, Art Lights
Interior furniture: Office Chair, Sofa, Table, Lounge Chair, Entry bench, XYLUS, HM Furniture, Dtale Morden
