The Banu Restaurant design includes the interiors and façade replacement for a 2100sm building in Zhengzhou China.  As the Flagship restaurant for a growing and innovative franchise, it was important for the client that the project creates a recognizable landmark along the main axis road and be welcoming to the community.

Our design sought to honor Banu, the river man’s history but creating a space formed from a natural yet turbulent flow and marked by the sinuous lines of the rope pull lattices. We first break down the large-scale, and orthogonal structural grid of the existing building and reframe the space into a fluid organization system with a series of sculptural cones shaped for private dining and open kitchens.  Then, two vertical conical voids are introduced at the lobby and the main seating area to tie two dining levels together. The third strategy involved the design of an organic lattice ceiling that varied in. Through varying the density, height, and size, the ceiling panels we were able to transform the transparency, creating a sense of depth to space as you move through.

The ideas of the interior were extended to the exterior facade. The façade is pulled up at the entry and connects along with the ceiling giving continuity between the exterior and interior envelopes. Through the unity of interior and exterior, the effect is a constantly changing dynamic to the street where the public is welcome to view and join in the activities of the restaurant.