Camellia: A Blossoming Feast for the Senses

Alvan Suen's Award-Winning Restaurant Design Brings Parisian Flair to Hong Kong

Camellia, a restaurant designed by Alvan Suen, is a tribute to the elegance and charm of Paris, the Floral City. The design inspiration stems from the Galerie des glaces in Château de Versailles, with the use of mirrors to reflect and extend the space. The restaurant is enveloped in different forms of the Camellia flower, symbolizing elegance, pure love, and resilience, and is painted in various shades of pink, a nod to the brand's identity.

The restaurant's unique properties lie in its extensive use of pink, creating a romantic and girly café atmosphere. The interior design combines loft, modern, and French styles, echoing the brand's identity and the design of the mall where it is located. The restaurant is surrounded by pink flower walls, which, along with black tones with gold trim, mirrors, and arches, create a floral festival reminiscent of Paris.

The realization of this design required custom-made patterns for the mirrors and walls. The marble used for the tables was naturally pink and was sourced specifically for this project. The restaurant was built in two phases, with an extension, including the kitchen, added after a month of operation. This addition required a reapplication of the license and a redesign to fit the existing structure, due to Hong Kong's laws.

The design specifications of the restaurant include an area of 2498.9 sq. ft. and a capacity of 132. The design team, led by Alvan Suen, also included Jesie Chan, Hazel Ching, Alan Tang, and Echo Chan. The restaurant offers various seating options to cater to different groups and guests, including bench seats, semi-private seats, outdoor seats, and a private room.

The project, located in K11 Musea, Kowloon, Hong Kong, began in April 2019, with the first phase of construction completed in August 2019 and the extension completed in October 2019. The design challenges included creating an Instagrammable landmark, a functional layout, and obtaining a valid license in a few months before the grand opening of the mall.

Camellia's design is a testament to Alvan Suen's creativity and attention to detail. The extensive use of pink, from the design and furniture to the food, creates a cohesive theme throughout the restaurant. The design was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.