Montréal-based studio Ménard Dworkin Architecture & design has completed RYU Restaurant, a Japanese eatery that is all about tactile experience.
Located in the upscale Westmount neighborhood, the sushi bar design combines the attention to craftsmanship and materiality that is at the core of the studio.
RYU Restaurant blends the most contemporary style with Japanese sensibility, creating a space defined by carefully crafted pieces made of natural materials that grow a special patina over the years. As explained in the Ménard Dworkind web, their process is rooted in a respect for the site, the client, craftsmen, and materials. This respect guides the way they conceive spaces and how they bridge the gap between aesthetics and functionality.
The focal point of the space is the sushi bar built out of untreated concrete blocks adding an industrial tone to the space that highly contrast with the weathered walls of the interior.
The wooden vertical frame that runs above the counter echoes the black wood panels at the back of the space and the lighter ones behind the seatings: the use of theses surfaces not only helps to soften the strong aesthetics but add a touchable feeling to the overall scheme .
A curved seating element has been designed to run through all the front windows, adding a playful and refined feature. Made of warm-toned leather and soft blue velvet, the sinuous feature strongly contrasts with the swivel chairs at the bar.
Thanks to the attention granted to the main elements as well as the small details, the space narrative creates a cohesive experience for the users. The contrast between the contemporary, almost-cold features and the more heritage-inspired details make the space and ode to tactility and sensoriality.
If you have been following us, you will surely recall our previous posts about he importance of tactility in todays’ design, related to the need of feeling textures again and run our fingertips over non-digital surfaces. Tactile experiences have become fundamental in many designs and their presence is not fading away , as we could see its dominant presence within the 5 Heimtextil Trends for 2019/2020 recently presented.
All photographs by David Dworkin.
