Located in a former storage facility, which once housed expensive family heirlooms for wealthy Chinese immigrants, Mott 32 is now an atmospheric underworld dining experience. Taking inspiration from the heritage of the site, the restaurant is littered with forgotten heirlooms, Chinese propaganda and industrial materials doubling as furniture and light fittings. Joyce Wang Studio took a decaying space and combined traditional Chinese décor with industrial design elements, already popular in New York and London. Located underground, with no natural light, the designer embraced the constraints of the venue and used them to create a theatrical and exclusive experience as guests are guided downstairs through a long, snaking corridor.
Inside the restaurant, bricks twist and turn and form shapes inspired by wind patterns. Light fittings are housed in metal mesh cages and former vaults become exclusive booths. Delicate detailing combines with raw materials, such as concrete and metals, to create a bold design that sees Western and Eastern influences combine.
When receiving the award, Joyce Wang explained: ‘Winning the World Interior of the Year will mean so much to the team. We are a practice of ten people and the project was very personal to the entire team. It was a Hong Kong project, it explored Hong Kong culture both past and present, which makes the project such a special one and winning this award even better’.
The judges came to a unanimous decision to select Mott 32 as the winner from nine category winners.
David Kohn, winner of last year’s World Interior of the Year award and judge for this year, said: ‘Joyce Wang Studio took a constraining location and maximised what was possible, using the existing structure to create a sophisticated and detailed project’.
Pernilla Ohrstedt, the designer behind the Coca-Cola Beatbox – the interactive pavilion on the London Olympic Park – and judge of the award added: ‘A wonderful series of rooms with a rich texture and narrative, creating a movie-like and theatrical environment for the diners. From small details to the complete design, everything has been thoughtfully considered and was a stand-out candidate for this important award’.
Descripción del proyecto
BRIEF
The restaurant tells the story of the basement of an important bank building in Hong Kong and how it has transitioned through the rich context of time. Once a leftover storage facility for Family heirlooms forgotten by wealthy Chinese immigrants; then a staff quarters for bank employees and guards; we imagined pieces of history left behind organically. The process of design was to unearth these clues layer by layer to expose an authentic narrative for the diners.
RESULT
The creative design concept – a blend of cliché-free industrial New York and classic Chinese décor –reflects imagined layers of Hong Kong’s political and social history with an inspired collection of forgotten heirlooms, Colonial-style furnishings and antique Chinese propaganda.
CHALLENGE
Located in the basement of a bank, the site itself is devoid of any sunlight or views to the exterior. With a lighting strategy both for lunchtime diners and evening diners, we created a different atmosphere and mood settings through lighting and skylight design. The accessibility of the site for diners was also a difficult issue to tackle. Having to snake through the bank building to access the restaurant, we turned this issue into an asset by creating a more hidden and exclusive arrival experience.
CREDITS. TECHINICAL SHEET.
Project.- Mott 32.
Architect/Designer.- Joyce Wang Studio
Location.- Hong Kong.
