Silver A' Design Award Winner 2023
The spatial narrative encoded within this restaurant interior operates through layered symbolic registers that reward attentive interpretation, beginning with the archetypal threshold experience established through material and luminosity transitions that ceremonially mark passage from exterior world to interior sanctuary. The ascending staircase functions as both practical circulation and symbolic axis mundi, connecting earthly dining below with elevated realms above where illuminated vitrines suggest repositories of accumulated wisdom or treasured collections, evoking the cabinet of curiosities tradition that historically encoded aspirations toward universal knowledge. The suspended sculptural figure embodies transcendence narratives found across cultural traditions, its dynamic pose suggesting the moment of transformation between bound and liberated states, between gravity and grace, serving as meditation on human aspiration appropriate to spaces of celebration and communion. The rough stone wall carries potent associations with permanence, geological time, and ancestral building traditions, yet the interspersed light strips transform this weight into luminosity, suggesting the alchemical transformation of base matter into radiant energy. The circular golden fixture at left resonates with solar symbolism, its disk form and metallic luminosity evoking celestial bodies and cycles of renewal. The material palette encodes hierarchies of value through graduated preciousness: polished marble and bronze announce significance, warm wood conveys hospitality and craft tradition, supple leather and linen promise comfort and refinement. The coffered ceiling with its geometric divisions echoes classical architectural traditions suggesting order, proportion, and cosmic harmony, while the linear light elements introduce contemporary clarity. The chromatic warmth throughout, dominated by amber, gold, and earth tones, activates associations with hearth, nourishment, and dwelling that have encoded hospitality across cultures since humans first gathered around fire. The curved forms of staircase, seating, and chair backs introduce organic counterpoint to architectural geometry, suggesting the complementary relationship between constructed order and living presence.
Located in the trendy Nanshan district of Shenzhen, also known as the Silicon Valley of China, Stonesal is a restaurant composed of an interior space of 850 square meters and a lush outdoor patio area of 450 square meters with a total capacity of around 140 seats. Main design features include the double height dry aging room, the octopus translucent central bar, a generous open kitchen, a mezzanine wine showcase, 5 private VIP rooms, and the main dining area with a ceiling height of 5 meters.