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From record store to restaurant: OWIU Studio designs GOHO Kaiseki & Bar in Singapore

The 55 seat restaurant and bar, for Proper Concepts hospitality group, offers an immersive space for elevated, affordable Kaiseki dining

by Nav Pal 25 May 2022

The project is an extension of the RAPPU handroll bar and is the third collaboration between Proper Concepts and the Singapore and Los Angeles based studio.

We sought to reimagine the space for a Kaiseki restaurant and bar fit for the 21st century, veering away from the look and feel of quintessential high-end Japanese restaurants. Instead of using typical wood counters and decor, we opted for a material palette that was raw, desaturated, and industrially modern.

Joel Wong, Principal, OWIU

The space is split between the second floor of a conservation shophouse and a mezzanine, which serves as a lounge for diners before or after their meal.

The main space features dark washed, special effect ceilings and boasts an integrated 11 m, green marble bar for diners to watch the chefs preparing each dish. The bar extends towards the end of the restaurant, where it becomes the alabaster backlit bar station for crafting cocktails.

The bar sits under a five metre, double volume space with floor to ceiling, custom built shelving, displaying spirits and Japanese artefacts.

In collaboration with local carpentry firm Baremetalco, the restaurant features custom chairs designed and fabricated for comfort.

The GOHO logo is recurring in the design and the space’s surfaces, representing the five ways of cooking: nama (cutting), niru (simmering), yaku (grilling), musu (steaming), and ageru (deep-frying), made out of petals that converge into its centre point. The motif is present on the ceiling’s 4x8m installation, illuminating the space while tying together the visual elements of the restaurant.


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