Wuxing Youxing Space Design: As a seasoned teppanyaki dining brand, Wanmo's newly upgraded location is nestled in the bustling Wujiaochang area of Shanghai. This spot, a cultural hub that attracts a youthful demographic, not only boasts a vibrant consumer base but also houses major tech firms like ByteDance and Bilibili, alongside a large student population with a keen interest in engaging and communal experiences.
On the culinary front, Wanmo strives to provide delightful spaces and meals suited for various gatherings and casual outings. Beyond serving food, the brand seeks to establish a venue that inspires social interactions beyond the ordinary. Wanmo's core clientele can be envisioned following insights from designer Wei Zhixue, who draws from the restaurant's locale: Amid the brisk pace of work, internet-savvy "workers" crave unique, easily shareable experiences that resonate with their identity, often confined to the office cubicle. Thus, inspired by the theme of "Interstellar Exploration," both design and branding aim to craft a dining and social space that promotes both online buzz and in-person discovery, enhancing the overall experience.
In the fading glow of the city, the buzz of sizzling food awakens both indoor and outdoor spaces, while the vast expanse of stars and oceans is shouldered by the solitary urban lookout, morphing into a connection point for the dining experiences of young people. A sequence of continuous acrylic ring matrices, paired with softly diffused lighting, evokes the embrace of a colossal mothership, casting beams of hope on every visitor. With several standalone island counters, a public dining order unfolds under a canopy of stars, with meteors occasionally slicing through the night sky, creating a serene and expansive atmosphere for diners.
The design cleverly nests the venue's circular layout with five independent island counters, ensuring different dining groups are separated within a unified environment without disturbing each other. At the heart of the open area, a landing pod introduces elements of new terrains—stone, gravel, thin air, and desolate solitude—all the uncertainties become vivid and authentic amidst these profound transformations.
Imagination, originating from the body, wields unexpected influence within experiences. The restaurant introduces itself with red sandstone, setting a visually distinctive language across the entire business district. The design integrates stainless steel, sound, and visual installations, crafting a themed collection of interactive artworks; as guests approach, the sensor at the entrance activates, extending a welcome in a mysterious language from a distant galaxy.
Contemplating the universe and searching for answers necessitates subtly ingraining ideas into the users' psyche. "If you want to build a ship, don't start by issuing orders or rallying people to collect wood. Instead, inspire them to yearn for the vast expanse of the sea." The design strategically links the brand's visual identity with the consumer base, aiming beyond mere dining experiences to foster more dynamic communication and content.
As resources dwindle and days filled with anxiety accumulate, why remain confined within comfort zones? Instead, explore broader possibilities. From the perspective of the brand and designers, the vitality of the youth shouldn't be restrained by current challenges; it should find expression in breaking through and exploring in the shadows. Thus, the exploration of unknown fields and spaces serves as a profound metaphor.
The process unfolds like an expedition into the depths of a shadowy mine. The design captures the rough, loose texture of sandstone, spreading from the ceiling and simulating the layers of shale inside, crafting an imaginative space that resonates deeply with visitors. At strategic corners, bespoke lighting fixtures are installed to light the way for this profound journey of exploration. Near the kitchen entrance, the integration of exploratory analysis tools merges the themes of interstellar exploration with culinary arts, fueling a fascination with both the unknown and the flavors of new cuisines.
The charm of teppanyaki dining lies not only in the combination of diverse ingredients in one cooking space but also in the interaction between the chef and the diners. The design strategically places six dark, planet-like spheres across the venue, incorporating metal, lighting, and structural elements. This setup creates a visual and functional interplay between separation and connection among dining experiences, encapsulating them in a harmonious ensemble of insight and change.
Dining transcends mere culinary art; it’s a vibrant gathering of the freshest seasonal ingredients. Suspended above, a circular chandelier arranged in cuneiform script embodies our collective curiosity and anticipation for extraterrestrial civilizations. On the countertops rest intricately crafted helmets, a quiet homage to the pioneering spirit of "Star Wars."
Facing the challenge of pre-made dishes and centralized kitchens diluting genuine flavors, the restaurant revives this lost connection through intimate experiences: the chef's fiery cooking draws people closer, not just to their food but to each other. Friends gather, engaging in lively conversations while savory delights dance across their palates, sketching the warm, vibrant strokes of life in miniature.
The stark stainless steel, refined through meticulous craftsmanship, forms the portal we encounter, symbolizing the collision and integration of terrestrial and extraterrestrial civilizations. Its mottled texture against smooth forms, though seemingly contradictory, merges seamlessly with the modern urban vibe beyond the windows. As uncertainty fades and a sense of security returns, the design seeks to re-establish order with just two private booths. These inward-looking, secluded spaces, with carefully designed openings for light, ensure dining privacy and comfort within a closed but 'open' setting.
The large private room connects to the exterior through expansive glass windows, allowing the interplay of daylight and reflections from building facades to dynamically fill the space over time. Scattered throughout are art installations and original lighting fixtures, gradually enhancing the personal and social richness of the experience.
In today's dining landscape, where lifestyles are increasingly shared, more brands are exploring ways to engrain themselves into consumer consciousness. For this restaurant, the authentic essence of teppanyaki—the aroma and smoke—builds an invisible bond among food, people, and the environment. The design reconfigures these relationships, introducing a sci-fi theme reminiscent of "Star Trek" to captivate the young, tech-savvy crowd, using the spirit of exploration to rekindle suppressed emotions. Rather than a casual social dining brand, the restaurant serves as a harmonious 'meal companion,' sharing delectable moments amid the smoky ambiance, inspiring mutual inspiration through every interaction.
