SAKE LOUNGE

The Sake Lounge of Hotel Okura in Amsterdam acts as the bar and waiting area for two exclusive and popular Japanese restaurants, Yamazato and Sazanka. Guests come from the spectacular and large entrance hall of the hotel over here to get in the mood for a special evening of Japanese food. Intimacy, exclusivity and a hint of Japanese atmosphere, but still a western atmosphere. Together with the management of the hotel and the chef we determined the atmosphere that we wanted to achieve with the design.

It was the wish of Chef Oshima that the original glass wall, hidden behind a closed was brought back into sight and integrated with the design. This glass wall was part of the original interior of the hotel designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi, one of the major postwar Japanese architects and the father of the architect of the extension of MOMA in New York.

We proposed to apply this glass wall as the back wall of the Sake bar and counter and as a carrier of the space. Lighting from behind the glass wall reflects to the sake bottles and determines the atmosphere of the space. To strengthen the peace and intimacy of the space the carpet acquired with the pattern of the ripple of the water.

Program:
Interior bar
Location:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Date:
March 2009
Client:
Hotel Okura
Team:
Project architect: Kenya Sato
Floor Area:
82 m2