Omakase Xi is a sushi restaurant in Lujiazui, Shanghai, with a net area of 82㎡. Chef Jiang imagines it to be simple and adopt the style of a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant.
UN-GROUP was inspired by the composition of traditional Japanese houses and created a spatial sequence that transitions from humble arrival to warm welcome. The entrance façade with white textured paint is followed by a dark-toned corridor. Dim light reflects on the burnt cedar walls to create a deep and quiet atmosphere. To the left hangs a shoji window, revealing a giant piece of obsidian suspended on a shallow pool. Within this small restaurant, this corridor greatly prolongs the arrival process. It allows the guests to separate from the hustle and bustle, return to their inner peace, and also feel like visiting an old friend. When they enter the main dining room at the end of this corridor, light cypress wood and beige textured walls lit by warm lighting make the atmosphere suddenly open up and create a pleasant sense of comfort.
Xi means creek in Chinese. The elements of creek are expressed through multiple materials: the cypress signage plate embedded in the entrance façade, the concave-convex black stone wall behind the obsidian, the white wood background wall carved with water ripples in the main dining room and the Japanese room. Several carefully designed niches also become part of the highlights. Chef Jiang selected Japanese ornaments to place inside, hoping guests can discover some exquisite surprises during dining. The use of these elements allows Xi to break away from the traditional Japanese style and gives it a more modern, abstract taste. UN-GROUP did not intend to move Tokyo to Shanghai, but rather to create a local expression that belongs to Xi in a specific site.
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