Y.not Restaurant Y.not 花园餐厅

The Y.not restaurant in Sanlitun North is defined by its concept of an “all-day bistro”, inviting guests to casually walk in and consider the place as their own living room and kitchen. Given the laid-back keynote of the restaurant, the client envisaged a garden-like space, where the culinary experience can happen amid flowers and greenery. Our design is therefore developed based on this theme, to create a “garden” with a variety of materials, colors and elements.

The kitchen area is located right in the center of the restaurant, along with an open staircase, it divides the public area into four sections: the bar at the entrance, the terrace, the garden and a compact VIP area.

Stepping out of the elevator, one will first arrive at the bar, which also serves as a reception and cashier. A small window to the kitchen has been opened in this area, so that the guests can enjoy a drink or some tapas while they’re waiting for a table. A brick wall extends into the stairway area, turning into a row of seating facing the bar, with the flickering flames of the fireplace dancing next to it.

The terrace is an outdoor area, separated from the bar and the garden by a thin wall. This wall is basically constructed of a sequence of pea-green flat columns interlinked with solid panels and striped glass in the same color, illuminating the space with a soft, bright tone. A few huge petal-shaped lights hang down from the ceiling, welcoming the plants growing upward from the ground. These petal lights were designed during the pandemic, when David Hockney painted a picture of daffodils and named it “Do remember they can’t cancel the Spring.” Moved and inspired by that painting, I decided to transform the very idea into the space – thus these lights. Each petal is over one meter long, stretched with translucent linen. I hope these lights could offer a soothing power through their soft, warm light, just like David Hockney’s yellow daffodils do.

Another major section of the restaurant is the lush garden. Together with our horticulturist, Mr. Yang Hao, we have made a great effort to realize a real garden in the interior space of a shopping mall. The pea-green ceiling has a series of small skylights that remind of a greenhouse. The skylight directly above the garden is larger than the others. The shade of the trees is silhouetted on the luminous membrane, as if there was real daylight pouring down from the patio. We played a little trick here by setting up pipes around the skylight – when it rains outside, there will be water dripping down from the skylight. Whoever sitting next to the garden might be confused: am I indoors or outdoors?

The solid walls and floors are covered with bricks. By changing the masonry patterns, we created a rhythmic texture on the walls and floor. The warm tone of terracotta is interwoven with pea-green and other shades of green of the plants, composing a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere.