BLACOWS, a restaurant specializing in hamburgers in Ebisu, Shibuya-ku since 2009, was renovated. There are plans for the restaurant to share the same kitchen with Meat Yazawa for Takeout in Ebisu, which specializes in Hamburg steak bentos (single-portion take-out meal) and was also built on the same block this time.
In renovating the restaurant, we got a hint from the characteristic of hamburgers made with a meat patty sandwiched in a bun. We enclosed the space with the ceiling finished with brass and walnut, the floor finished with terrazzo, mortar and tiles, and walls finished with three kinds of grayish tiles in slightly different shades. In this space, we arranged counter, table and banquette seating.
After opening an impressive stile door finished with walnut and brass, customers are welcomed at the elongated entrance area with the ceiling adorned with illuminated orange channel letters (B, L, C, W and S) that were previously used in the restaurant before the renovation. Along the side of the area sits a long and narrow bench finished with brass on walnut, which also serves as a waiting area.
A brass pendant light hangs above the nine-seat counter made of a 100-mm thick horse shoe-shaped walnut countertop, and a counter base made of brass and mortar. Above the countertop hangs a rectangular walnut ceiling panel into which the shape of the countertop is cut. Around the counter lies terrazzo and mortar floors with a brass floor edging strip that runs 600 mm outside the outline of the horse shoe-shaped countertop.
Under the walnut framed ceiling, there is an area with three four-seater tables (seating a total of 12 people) on the mortar and terrazzo floor that is trimmed with a brass floor edging strip, like the counter area. The tables are solidly-built with brass legs, 50-mm thick tabletops covered with walnut veneer over linden plywood, and oil-stained tabletop edges. Behind the tables, there is a banquette seat covered with brown leather. Existing chairs that had been used in the restaurant were repaired and placed on the other side of the tables.
A semi-enclosed banquette seating area with a brass-paneled ceiling and large cement floor tiles is the most impressive space in the project. Each table and chair, and the banquette seat have the same finish as the area with two four-seater tables(seating a total of 8 people). A slot was provided in the brass panel above the tables and a lighting fixture with krypton bulbs arranged in parallel was placed inside. The beam was wrapped with a curved panel so an intricately and softly distorted reflection can be created. The banquette area is loosely enclosed by checkered walnut partitions made of alternately raised and indented panels. Gray tiles and walnut were also used for male and female guest restrooms so the same spatial outlook like the seating area could be created.
Attention was paid to details but ornate decorations were avoided in order to highlight the characteristics of each ceiling, wall and floor surface. With the ceiling, wall and floor surfaces wrapping the space, we created a dignified space that is simple, yet modern and airy.