Revitalizing History: The Wulumuqi Lu Private Restaurant

Old Meets New in IWAO FURUSHO's Award-Winning Design

The Wulumuqi Lu Private Restaurant is not just a place to dine, but a testament to the power of design and innovation. Housed in a superior aged villa of brick structure, the restaurant retains the original structure, revitalizing it with unique design methods. The 300 square meter open space in front of the villa has been transformed into a courtyard, a nod to the building's historic context.

What sets this design apart is the integration of interior and exterior spaces. With only four single rooms and a foyer, the restaurant is small in size. However, the clever use of space and design elements creates a vast spiritual world inside. The interior is adorned with antiques, carefully selected to match the traditional courtyard outside. This visual connection between the inside and outside spaces is a key aspect of the design.

Another unique feature is the area set next to the courtyard, reminiscent of the traditional Japanese architecture "enngawa". This space serves as a courtyard prospect deck, a passageway, and a significant place where conversations happen. It's a testament to the designer's ability to blend different cultural elements into a cohesive design.

The design realization technology used in this project is equally impressive. Surplus decorations were removed using modern design methods. The inner ceiling was set tilted to integrate with the outer eave decoration, achieving a visual continuity between the interior and exterior. Only five materials were used: pebble washout, manchurian ash, marble, iron, and glass. The use of pebble washout, in particular, is noteworthy as it can directly lay over concrete and does not require a wall foundation or baseboard.

The project, completed in September 2017, faced several challenges. One of them was the coherence of indoor Chinese antiques and the outdoor traditional Chinese courtyard. However, the designer overcame this by creating a visual connection between the interior and exterior, thereby creating a vast spiritual world inside.

This design has been recognized for its creativity and innovation, winning the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2018. This prestigious award is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation, and the Wulumuqi Lu Private Restaurant certainly fits the bill. With its unique blend of traditional and modern elements, it offers a dining experience like no other.