Image Credit : DAN HOCKING
Project Overview
P-E-K STUDIO introduced a new character and branding element in the form of Yukie Snack Bar, a holding bar addition to Mr.Miyagi Restaurant, Melbourne. The outcome is a narrative that controls the customer’s sensory procession of the dining experience.
As one passes through the internal laneway the interior finishes gently shift from a darker masculine restaurant to refined and solid natural surfaces. The space embodies the femininity of Yukie whilst conveying a cheeky love story and flirtatious atmosphere. An interior that represents an amalgamation of traditional Japanese minimalistic building techniques with contemporary colour pops. The design uses consistent radial and tubular details with natural stone, insitu concrete and custom designed timber furniture. It is these details that characterize the femininity of the mistress through the robust, natural and neutral traditional Japanese materials.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Pete Kennon
Project Brief
The restaurant’s popularity demands customers to wait over 2 to be seated. The owners brief was to extend the venue into a dilapidated neighbouring warehouse located through the rear of the restaurant. P-E-K STUDIO sort reference from Tokyo's Snack Bars and the contemporary Japanese love industry. Queue the mischievous Mr Miyagi to unveil his mistress, Yukie.
Project Innovation/Need
Yukie Snack Bar has introduced a new element to the business model and procession to the customer experience. Customers are greeted at Yukie Snack Bar by the bar host and placed into a seat that visually connects the venue to local artist's mural in Artist Lane. New cold snack food offerings were developed and paired with flirtatiously named beverages to maximise kitchen capability and efficiency. The floor plan now allows for a 60% increase in patrons whilst retaining the intimacy of the prominent 100 seat restaurant and providing a stimulating prelude to dining that creates an experience that is memorable.
The project was developed in response to demand, yet the outcome has surpassed the brief of a holding bar and created an intrinsic component to the business model. The design concept has redeveloped the business structure through spatial planning and branding to create a financially and cultural place. This design process is an example of a holistic design approach that takes into account the interior design, branding and identity of a commercial / hospitality business to provide the client with a commercially creative service. In this case the outcome is a procession and sensory experience.
Design Challenge
The existing conditions of the new subject site set a severe challenge to become habitable. The 30 year old warehouse had seen multiple uses which difficulties in floor levels, dilapidated walls and the layers remnants from the previous artist who painted on the walls. The three new openings all required a structural steel beam to support the loads above.
A challange was to complete to rennovation without the business having to close fully once. The building program was carefully sort out to ensure the busiess was able to continue to operate whilst works were being undertaken.
Sustainability
Local natural materials were sourced and utilised where possible.
The collaborators including the furniture and lighting manufacturers were both local small design businesses that source furniture and resourcing locally.
Interior Design - Hospitality
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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