Breaking Stereotypes: MII-DESIGN's Unique Japanese Restaurant

Forest: An Innovative Blend of Eastern and Western Elements in Dining

Most people have a certain stereotype when it comes to Japanese restaurants. MII-DESIGN, however, breaks the mold with their innovative design named "Forest". By combining eastern and western elements, they have created a unique dining experience that challenges preconceived notions. The use of stone veneer adds a sense of stability and heaviness to the space, while the entrance's rough slate flooring and the two-story high wine rack filled with plants evoke the image of an interior garden.

What sets this design apart is its unique indoor forest atmosphere, achieved through the use of high-quality plastic plants and ultra-thin stone veneer. The latter, being thin and lightweight, is easy to handle and maintain, making it a practical choice for the construction site. The result is a 120-square-meter dining space that provides a unique experience of dining in an outdoor forest, despite the rainy climate of Taiwan.

The design project, which took a month to complete, involved setting up a scaffold to speed up the construction process. The use of thin and lightweight materials also helped save time and cost. The design team, composed of Tai, Po Yu, Chuang, Chih Chieh, Hun, Tsai, and Huang, Zi Ying, retained the original space structure, which previously housed a trendy teppanyaki dining space with numerous mirrors. This smart use of existing structures helped save a significant amount of budget.

The design of "Forest" is a result of extensive research into the interpretation of natural elements in Eastern and Western cultures. The goal was to combine these two different cultural vocabularies to create a profound dining experience. The challenge was to transform the trendy teppanyaki dining space into a unique Japanese restaurant without incurring high costs. This was achieved by using light, easy-to-construct materials.

The innovative design of "Forest" has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, it was awarded Silver in the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award. This prestigious accolade is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation, strong technical characteristics, and splendid artistic skill. It is a testament to the creativity and professionalism of MII-DESIGN.

With "Forest", MII-DESIGN has successfully combined the vocabularies of Eastern and Western cultures to create a unique dining experience. It is a testament to their ability to innovate and challenge stereotypes, all while maintaining a focus on practicality and cost-effectiveness. The result is a unique space that not only provides a unique dining experience but also challenges our perceptions of what a Japanese restaurant can be.