Gentle L By Alan Yu: A French Restaurant Redefining Elegance and Romance

An Innovative Approach to French Restaurant Design

Situated in Shenzhen, China, Gentle L by Alan Yu is a French restaurant that redefines the concept of elegance and romance. Co-founded by Leon Li and Alan Yu, the restaurant combines the initials of Leon Li in the brand name, represented by the letter "L," with the word "GENTLE," which signifies a sense of ritual and French elegance. Alan Yu, previously the Executive Chef of a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, brings his culinary expertise to create a space where people can indulge in fine French cuisine away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

The design of Gentle L by Alan Yu focuses on providing a private and cozy environment for diners. The centerpiece of the space is a huge steel column made of hand-made wrinkled aluminum, featuring soft wrinkles that visually enhance its flexibility and serve as a visual highlight. Curved stainless steel screens effectively separate private rooms, ensuring privacy without interrupting the dining experience. This thoughtful arrangement also enables an attentive service system, ensuring timely and seamless service for guests.

The design of Gentle L by Alan Yu is a testament to the creative use of materials and spatial deconstruction. Slanting curved structures are freely combined in the space, creating fluid spatial scenes with fluent planes and broken curved shapes. The floating structures and oblique forms generate a playful sense of lightness and instability, adding a touch of whimsy to the dining experience. The semi-enclosed space not only guarantees privacy but also allows diners to enjoy different scenes and emotions as they move through the restaurant.

The realization of Gentle L by Alan Yu involved careful attention to technical specifications. With an area of 800 square meters, the design incorporates materials such as wrinkled aluminum, carpet, paint, stone slab, and lamps from SIKI. The project commenced in January 2020 and was completed in July 2020 in Shenzhen, China.

The design of Gentle L by Alan Yu is a result of extensive research and a desire to shape the future of the city. It offers a unique artistic interpretation of aesthetics, creating poetic and storytelling scenes with a single table, two persons, and delicious food. The project encourages people to explore their inner minds and engage in playful experiences.

Despite the challenges of transforming an existing restaurant, the design team successfully minimized the negative impact on the original space while incorporating additional toilets to enhance the dining experience.

Gentle L by Alan Yu is not only a French restaurant but a testament to the power of design in creating immersive and memorable experiences. With its innovative approach, elegant ambiance, and attentive service, it has earned the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design category in 2021. This prestigious award recognizes designs that showcase technical and creative excellence while contributing to the improvement of quality of life.