Taihooo's Metaverse: A Surreal Space for Dining

As the metaverse has emerged, the technologies that underpin it have steadily matured. VR, AR, MR and holographic projection, the defining tools of the industrial metaverse, are increasingly popular with businesses and consumers alike as ways of shaping new kinds of commerce.

In an age of material abundance, the pleasure of good food alone no longer satisfies today's diners. Younger customers in particular want experiences that are more immersive and more interactive. So this time we brought the metaverse to Taihooo.

We cast the site of this Sushi Taihooo restaurant as an NFT: a plot of "virtual land" in the Taihooo metaverse. Taking the NFT as our starting point, we created a series of fragmented elements from which the space is composed.

Working from the conditions of the site and our vision for the brand, we set out to make an "unknown territory": a space that is more distinctive and more mysterious as a whole, offering an experience beyond the everyday and drawing strong footfall to the development.

Unknown Territory

The interior again relies on natural materials in simple, organic forms, reflecting the plainness and minimalism of traditional Japanese culture.

The work area is covered by a stepped, temple-like structure whose grey tones emphasise earthy materials.

The large stepped volumes and strong sense of depth carry over from the previous store, but here the forms are rougher and more forceful, and the shifting light and shadow bring out the texture of the walls even more.

Blue Light Column

We wrapped the site's original column in blue glass, turning it into a glowing blue pillar that seems to pour energy into the room and makes the space more playful.

The fragmented design elements spark curiosity and a sense of mystery, reinforcing the space's identity as an NFT. Every new angle gives a different impression of the whole.

We gave the Taihooo tiger's tail a physical form and set it in the middle of the room as a transitional volume, which also works as a service station for the surrounding tables.

Unknown Channels

Five "channels" open in the ceiling. No one knows where they lead; they look like gateways to other worlds, opened at random.

These timber channels are also the room's lighting, giving comfortable illumination; the warm light and wood tones make for a more relaxed dining atmosphere.

Together, the elements of ceiling and floor make the space all the more intriguing. Inside it, you seem to have arrived in a parallel universe, a dining experience with a freshness guests have never known before.

The booth seating keeps the atmosphere of earlier Taihooo stores. A huge suspended volume hangs over the booths and wraps almost the entire space, adding visual impact while giving the booths a stronger sense of enclosure and privacy.

The tiger-head logo takes the most prominent spot at the entrance. Interlocking and deconstructed volumes are used with care throughout, so that every corner of the space hides an intriguing surprise.

Restaurants face a crisis of footfall. After long stretches of shopping online, consumers want brands to enrich their everyday lives through spaces of connection, emotion and inspiration. These values will be essential in drawing people back to shopping streets and malls.

Client
Sushi Taihooo

Location
Zhongzhou Bay C Future City, Shenzhen, China

Area
155 m²

Completion Date
2022.12

Design Firm
E Studio

Lead Designer
Fan, Junjian
Zhou, Xuanzhuo

Design Team
Hao, Xingyun
Liu, Ying
Deng, Changyi

Photographer
Zhang, Chao
Luo, Canhui