Perma Cave: A Revolutionary Concept in Dining Spaces

Designers Minyi Zhang, Yingcong Ho and Ven Lu Redefine Restaurant Design with Perma Cave

The design of Perma Cave is characterized by clear surfaces and irregular "stomata" shapes, reminiscent of the air holes in a high-quality loaf of bread. The designers have ingeniously used these "stomata" as distinguishing entrances for different functions within the restaurant, creating a unique spatial experience for the visitors. The restaurant is divided into a bread display area, a beverage production area, a customer dining area, and a logistics kitchen, each defined by these distinctive features.

Perma Cave is not just a restaurant but a brand new dining concept. The design team has gone beyond the traditional role of restaurant designers and has introduced a new way of experiencing a dining space. The open arches, similar to the stomata of a bread structure, redefine the concept of "space" for the visitors, creating an environment that is in harmony with nature.

The design of Perma Cave was realized using a variety of materials including GRG, GRP, EPOXY, PanDOMO, craft glass, and class A fire-resistant materials. The project, located in the basement of an indoor shopping mall, covers a restaurant area of 88 square meters. The design process began in November 2016, and the construction was completed in March 2018.

Perma Cave faced several design challenges. The client's mission was to create bread from healthy, organic ingredients and they wanted the restaurant design to reflect this ethos. The designers came up with the innovative concept of a "fully fermented French bread" as the outer contour of the shop, with the entire restaurant hidden inside the bread. The "fermentation bubbles" serve as the display window of the kitchen, the entrance, and the skylight of the ceiling.

Perma Cave has been recognized for its innovative design and has been awarded the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2019. This award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation.