izakaya munich
completed
october 2017
responsibilties
interior design
programme
size 325 sqm
location
munich, de
completed
october 2017
responsibilties
interior design
programme
size 325 sqm
location
munich, de
arrival and first impressions
The Japanese stand-alone restaurant IZAKAYA, located in the building of Hotel Roomers, announces its presence to the guests at the moment of arrival, with the show kitchen visible through the glass facade of the porte-cochere. A translucent gradient in the glass directs the attention on the chefs working at the countertops and cooking pits while all other elements are blurred out. This visible kitchen block also continues a few meters inside the lobby as a jewellery case covered in gold mirror. This extension of the restaurant into the lobby is also the main entrance.
contrasts in material and space
The restaurant itself is composed of an array of black materials, with a contrasting feature of light wooden lamellas along the ceiling and wall towards the kitchen. The space is structured into two zones by a solid seating booth element in the centre. A three-step level change separates the bar zone at the entrance from the quieter restaurant zone in the rear. Along the sides of the stairs, the booth furniture element features cabinets for service stations, cutlery, chinaware, pos and DJ equipment.
a space that adapts throughout the night
Rotating vertical panels in the centreline of the booth element can connect or separate the space depending on the angle of rotation. One side of the panel features a Japanese-inspired artwork on silkscreen by artist Gijs Scholten. The other side is a black mirror with different settings. In the early evening, the whole space can appear as one. After restaurant hours, the bar can be closed off to establish a darker and cosy mood that lasts deep into the night.
the bar as the social heart
The long freestanding bar close to the entrance creates an immediate buzz upon entering. The bar is realised in black lacquered wood, while the backlit bar top is the highlight, with a warm yellow marble finish that makes every drink sparkle. The semi-circular booth seating with its faceted leather stitching clearly refers to old gentlemen’s clubs. Along the bar zone, the kitchen block is closed, while the golden mirror cladding with rhythmic lamella overlay creates a fragmented warm reflection of the space.
every detail tells the story
Rice paper panelling in black wooden frames with back lighting covers both sidewalls of Izakaya. Hidden doors provide access to the coat room, restrooms and the hidden Whiskey Room. Along the length of the bar, the panel wall forms a recess; here, the rice paper compartments are replaced by illuminated shelves displaying Japanese preserve jars.
Three steps up, the actual restaurant zone is framed on one side by the booth element, and the backlit rice paper wall on the other, while a niche features booths with tables. The third wall is the open show kitchen with a sushi counter along the full front. While loose tables allow for flexible seating in the centre of the space, fixed seating consisting of the booth element on one side and a long communal table along the other side structures the space along the sides. The eye-catcher of the restaurant zone is the oversized wooden koi-carp lamp by LZF above the long table.
facts & figures
total area 325 sqm
concrete
responsibilities interior design
team rob wagemans, tobias koch, nuria ripoll, kasia heijerman, marlou spierts, johanna zychski, maike daemen, mark haenen, hilka ackermann, ulrike lehner, sofie ruytenberg, zana josipovic
partners & collaborators
client(s) ggch & gekko group, de
contractor pbm, de
photography steve herud
bespoke artwork gijs scholten
awards
AHEAD awards winner restaurant
AHEAD global winner best restaurant
