Tata Bowls Restaurant, Shang Interior Architects

Project: Tata Bowls Restaurant
Award: Hospitality Interiors - Restaurants & Cafe's, Small Practice (Under 20 Employees), 2024
Location: Shanghai, China
Design Practice: Shang Interior Architects 
Client: Tata Bowls Restaurant

Through its irregular architectural structure and open, engaging spatial layout, Tata Bowls Restaurant in Shanghai breaks the boundaries of traditional dining spaces, creating a unique venue that efficiently caters to the lunch rush and offers a leisurely dining experience during off-peak hours.

A highlight of Shang Interior Architect’s design is how it transforms the restaurant into a "flowing theatre," where the glass curtain walls connect the indoors and outdoors, showcasing the daily life of the neighbourhood and Tata Bowls in real-time. Pedestrians outside look through the glass, past dramatically styled pendant lights and layered tables and chairs, focusing on the operation counter made of red travertine, which appears as the space's "main stage." 

Diners entering the restaurant queue up for their meals and take their seats, observing the everyday drama outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows. While enjoying their meals, customers also become part of the city's story. 

Design highlights

Upon entering, the sight of wooden blocks rising from the golden ma stone floor, the only "hard partition" in the entire space, present an open, bright dining area. This "architectural block" within the space divides the flow into "in" and "out," creating a singular circular flow that imbues the space with an endless sense of movement, allowing people to feel the change and vitality of the surrounding environment at every dining moment. Innovatively, the entrance door breaks the convention by using a folding sign as the facade. During business hours, it folds up to easily showcase the Tata Bowls logo as guests enter or exit, creating a memorable brand interaction. When not in operation, the door serves as a full-sized logo sign. All wooden cabinets in the space are designed with clever mortise and tenon structures for shelf connections, showcasing the fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern design.

Photo credit: WEN STUDIO