IBUKI Restaurant, Vietnam

The teppanyaki restaurant IBUKI is located in the New World Hotel in Ho chi minh City.
DCA wondered if it would be possible to avoid the stylized “WA(Japanese Style)” design and use modern materials with “OKUYUKI(depth)” as a keyword to secretly put the Japanese spirit in the space. So that the people can feel something in each interpretation.

The entrance faces the hotel’s stairs hall, and when you enter the store, people can see solid boards standing behind the passage surrounded by bamboo arches illuminated by indirect lighting. Passing through the dimly space that was kept low, people gradually changed their mood from ordinary to extraordinary, increasing their expectations for a space that spreads beyond it.

The reception area is separated from the dining area by using metal curtains while ensuring a view of the entire store. The field of view was controlled by randomly stacking four types with different stitch intervals. A glossy curtain is an industrial product used for the belt part of a belt conveyor, and it shines brightly when exposed to lighting. The solid board of the reception counter back is even more powerful with this cold metal as the background.

On the Teppanyaki counter in the main hall, a rusty iron plate processed like ORIGAMI covers the hood. And although it looks messy on the ceiling, it is actually hung with gold steel rods that are arranged in a regular arrangement of triangles and stacked. By darkening the tones of the walls, they emerge from the background and create a space with deep shadows. The dark background allows people to focus on the chef’s lively movements and skillful handling, and enjoy the process of completing a carefully prepared dish.

The dining room is separated from the corridor by a screen with seven layers of steel mesh for building materials. This mesh is originally used as a base material and is a rough material in which the size of one square is slightly different, so it is difficult to predict the size of the gap when overlapping. Therefore, rather than intentionally deciding the degree of transparency, we decided to leave the material as it was and to finish it. The resulting screen was like a myriad of hand-drawn lines appearing in the air. Then, the outline of the object on the other side looks blurry. People can maintain privacy while feeling the presence of others. It became a screen with a mysterious view.

The VIP ROOM is made up of three layers of wooden boards, which are arranged with a gap in between and are directed inward from the wall. The wooden boards were shortened toward the inside. The lighting installed between the layers leaks through the gaps between the wooden boards make it feel like a deep wall. We tried to create a space where you can comfortably stay without feeling the blockage.

Metal curtains, ORIGAMIi-like iron plates, multi-layered meshes and wooden boards, etc. are all used to express various depths by stacking flat materials. It is not a direct expression of “WA(Japanese Style)”, but a secret expression. The innovative and refined space further enhances the sophisticated craftsmanship and cuisine offered at this restaurant.