PROJECT: Hungry Mao's Kitchen | Greenfield District

     Inspired by the charm and character of the old hutongs of Beijing, Hungry Mao's Kitchen is a modern-day restaurant with an eclectic mix of modern-industrialist and traditional-oriental interiors.
     
     The design brief was two-fold, one is to come up with a design for a Chinese fast-food concept but at the same time addressing the challenges of the existing space. Contrasting the traditional with the modern, the space has an overall subdued palette, but with bright red accents that pop out.     

     Having a narrow space, and with a myriad of ducts and pipes crowding the space above, renovation of this space into Hungry Mao's was a challenge. Having a low headroom due to the large air ducts, the place felt really tight. Addressing this problem is the addition of multiple LED panels lining up the plain white ceiling to make it look like a river of light, curving off towards the end. This added illumination brightened up the place and created an illusion of a wide expansive space.

     Increased seating capacity was also needed, so a portion of the kitchen was removed to make way for more patrons.  Situated at the far-end corner of the restaurant, diners can enjoy a bit more privacy with Chinese style dividers against an Ando-inspired cement wall- finish backdrop. Making use of the existing wooden tiles, but wanting to add a modern twist, a mix of red and gray hexagon tiles were installed in the new dining area. These touches of geometry and color on the floor blend well with the rest of the interiors, dictating further how old and new merges together . Modern plastic chairs in red are partnered with rustic wood benches; while traditional-looking gray brick tiles contrast with white square tiles.

     With a great deal of challenges, creative thinking was key to turn problems into design solutions. A playful mix of old and new also create an interesting twist, allowing us to introduce the traditional into the fast-paced and modern lifestyle of Hungry Mao's Kitchen's diners.