Supa Fama Restaurant and Bar

Shelley Mock's spatial composition for this restaurant and bar functions as an eloquent meditation on threshold experience and the archetypal garden sanctuary, encoding within its material vocabulary references to paradise gardens, conservatory traditions, and the contemporary yearning for biophilic connection within urban hospitality contexts. The cascading fern specimens activate deep symbolic resonances with concepts of fertility, renewal, and protective shelter, their ancient botanical lineage predating flowering plants and thus evoking primordial forest ecosystems and the continuity of natural cycles. The spiral staircase operates as a potent symbol of ascent and descent, the helical form encoding cyclical return, DNA structure, and the mythic journey between realms that hospitality spaces facilitate as liminal zones between public and private experience. The globe pendant luminaires carry connotations of celestial bodies, illuminating orbs that punctuate the verdant canopy like lanterns guiding wayfarers through enchanted groves. The chromatic dialogue between warm terracotta earth tones and cool verdant greens encodes elemental balance, the complementary relationship between soil and growth, warmth and moisture, that sustains living systems. The industrial materiality visible in exposed ceiling infrastructure and steel framework participates in contemporary aesthetic vocabulary celebrating honest material expression and adaptive transformation, suggesting that beauty emerges through thoughtful intervention within existing conditions. The mosaic tabletops with their tessellated patterns reference ancient traditions of decorative tilework, encoding concepts of craftsmanship, pattern as meditation, and the sacred geometry underlying natural forms. The vertical spatial organization creates hierarchical experience, with elevated viewing positions offering contemplative overview while descent into the botanical realm promises immersive encounter, encoding the symbolic journey from observation to participation that meaningful hospitality spaces choreograph.

Supa Fama is a restaurant chain in Guangzhou, China. They serve typical western style cuisine with a focus on using farm fresh produce and quality meats. They aim to promote a healthy lifestyle by eating well. With this in mind, their visual identity features abundant greenery and natural materials, creating a garden-like atmosphere. At the most recent location, an historical theme is inserted into this verdant context, conceived as a steampunk version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It is designed to transport guests to another place and time, whilst remaining a cosy place to dine.