Kaedama: A Unique Noodle Bar Experience at Newark Airport

Rockwell Group's Award-Winning Design Transforms Airport Dining

The cornerstone of Kaedama is the two-story sculpture located above it, in the form of an abstract gold noodle wrapped by a hand-woven LED media mesh. The mesh features 17,000 interconnected lights that display animated designs and create a dynamic and unique canvas. The animations, as well as choreographed uplighting, highlight the curvature of both the LED mesh and interior structure, making Kaedama stand out from other airport restaurants.

The Mediamesh sculpture has an ambient and spectacle mode. In its ambient mode, the structure displays color gradients, kaleidoscopic images, and other abstract animations. Spectacle mode displays Japanese inspired images including samurai, clouds drifting across the sky, and other playful images. These animations are digitally created and managed, and can be easily changed seasonally and for special events.

Another unique component of the restaurant is that chefs are elevated on a platform directly under the sculpture to highlight the theater of making freshly pulled noodles. The chef area is bounded by a 42-seat, six-point star-shaped counter made from modern and luxe materials, such as wood, leather, and metal. This design element further enhances the theatricality and uniqueness of Kaedama.

In addition to its distinct design, Kaedama offers guests a first-rate technology experience with iPads equipped with OTG’s award-winning customer experience platform, flo. Each tablet offers a visual menu along with entertainment options and flight information. Customers can also purchase magazines, gifts, and other sundries that are delivered to their table as they dine, and even pay for them through the United MileagePlus program.

Building a structure of this size and scale in an airport was a challenging task for the Rockwell Group. The four-story structure had to be built twice, once at the warehouse in Orlando to make sure that the structure would fit inside of the terminal, and a second time inside the terminal itself. Several tests had to be conducted onsite to ensure success of LED color, pattern, movement, and transition speed, as well as visibility in daylight versus night.

Despite the challenges, Kaedama's design was recognized for its excellence and innovation. The restaurant was awarded Golden in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2018. The award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.