Project
Three different lighting systems set the atmosphere in an Armenian café, an semi-hidden cocktail bar jumps back in time at The Shepherd Mayfair and Dior has opted for a gallery-style approach for its new location in Japan. Here are this week’s openings.
balbek bureau
The Japanese concept of wakon yōsai – Japanese spirit, Western technique – informs the interior design narrative of Kyiv-based restaurant 81 Funky Japanese. Located in a semi-basement, this kissaten by day, restaurant by night uses light to work around architectural constraints. Bespoke engraved panels, inspired by shoji doors, filter light through wavy lines and spirals, while hinting to Tokyo’s streetscape. Details include Mahjong tiles and mosaic flooring, combined with cartoonish characters and a noodle-shaped telephone cord that winds its way across the space.
Address: Bohdana Khmel’nyts’koho St, 33/34, Kyiv, Ukraine
Buckley Gray Yeoman, Timothy Shepherd of Sheperd&
The Shepherd Mayfair will open its doors to guests in September, with 82 rooms and suites available. ‘We drew inspiration from the original Mansions of Mayfair, where business and pleasure coexisted’, reveals leading architect Timothy Shepherd. The structure houses Fayre, a brasserie with brocade banquette seating and wallpapers by artist Adam Ellis depicting livestock markets and juggler, which uncover Shepherd Market’s legacy. The Lounge, an all-day café, and a speakeasy encompassed by custom-made murals recreate the neighbourhood’s bustling atmosphere. Meanwhile, Braille and Morse code details adorn the space, marking the link between wartime intelligence and the district. Dressing tables that can be transformed into chess stations and banker’s lamps and window seats bring traditional townhouses elements into a contemporary design scheme.
Address: 2 Stanhope Row, London W1J 7BT, United Kingdom
Sou Fujimoto, Peter Marino
In Osaka, the new House of Dior emits a golden glow amongst the high rises. A subtle light permeates the façade, illuminating the building’s layered drape-like exterior and embedding a sense of haute couture into the architecture. Inside, a wide, winding staircase frames a hurricane-like sculpture by Alice Aycock, while connecting the different storeys. The vertical garden in the women’s accessories section, Azuma Makoto’s floral compositions, as well as Lalanne’s Ginkgo bench, express the couturier’s admiration for nature and art. On the top floor, the Monsieur Dior restaurant tightens the bond between France and Japan by using local ingredients to craft haute cuisine dishes.
Address: 1 Chome-9-17 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0085, Japan
Kidz
Fein’s second location in Yerevan, Armenia, quite literally revolves around the ritual of coffee. A central coffee bar anchors the 63-sq-m site, while an elliptical light panel spotlights it from the ceiling. This configuration produces a negative space around the core, enabling circulation and interaction. Stainless steel is the material of choice for the coffee tables, the counter and the wall behind it. The interplay between the reflective metal surfaces and the lighting systems across the room generates a dynamic environment. A backlit wall diffuses a soft orange light that contrasts with a cool LED strip and the overhead luminaire, creating a colour gradient that enhances the perception of movement.
Address: 40 Pushkin St, Yerevan 0002, Armenia