No. 9 Noodle House is not simply a design project, but an artwork.The extraordinary art experiment with vivid rhythm shows the designer’s bold imagination and great passion. The main ceiling feature of the design simulates noodles flowing out from the bowl to fill the entire area with elegant waves. Every piece of this design resembles the movement of the noodle hand-making process, customers are captivated by the stereoscopic noodle structure that flows continuously across the entire ceiling space. This has brought depth into the design while composing a harmonious balance with the overall environment. It connects customers to the food they enjoy and embraces them on an enchanting culinary journey.
The fabric structure made by plywood creates the noodle shaped fixtures, which ties the traditional cultural structure to the modern and innovative design. Various shades of dark grey and soft lighting were applied in the interior to create a contrast to the curvy structure, which significantly intensifies and enhances the dramatic visual effect of the fabric structure. This thoughtful colour combination also creates a warm and comforting atmosphere for customers enjoying the food in the restaurant.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
R.Kim+Envision Design Consortium
Team
Derek Yang
Joanna Fang
Ryan Kim
Amy Chan
Laura Liu
Janet Huang
Bj Yu
Project Brief
The aim of this project was to create a unique and high end modern design that accentuated the specialties of traditional Chinese noodle making, while also creating a fine dining atmosphere.
Located near the bustling center of Sydney’s Chinatown, the shop features an open shop front design with high void space. This has in turn, allowed the design team to take a dramatic approach to the design of the ceiling feature. The ceiling structure was designed to resemble the image of noodles, this curvy structure is composed of timber strips which are not fitted together, but linked. Every part of the structure interconnects to another, the thousands of timber curves were pre-made in the factory before being affixed onto the ceiling. This design combines the elements of traditional Chinese food culture with modern design to create a truly captivating structure.
Project Innvoation/Need
The restaurant attracts customers with its two storey open shop front with glazing, this allows pedestrians a glimpse of the centerpiece structure which stretches from the floor to the ceiling. As diners approach the center of the restaurant, a sense of awe is instilled by the dramatic lowering of the curve from the ceiling. As patrons ascend to the second floor, a spectacular view of the structure flows across the entire ceiling which strongly highlights the noodle theme.
Aside from the ceiling feature being the centerpiece, other features such as the drink bar and feature wall both serve to compliment the central theme of noodles. The drink bar was built with curved plywood slates, these slates were mounted to the counter front and was arranged in a pattern that mimics the shape of noodles being bundle together. Recessed lights were also installed to give the appearance as if each slate were a strain of noodles.
The feature wall behind the drink bar was inspired by the very first step of making noodles from flour. A sunken center is created when ingredients are added to flour in the noodle making process, this is represented in the oval shaped fixture.
Design Challenge
The original shop front entrance was small and only provided a limited view of the interior from the outside, this created a major problem in presenting the ceiling centerpiece to the public’s eyes. Therefore, the shop front entrance was demolished, leaving only the columns for a clear, unobstructed view of the interior.
Another obstacle presented itself when it was revealed that the ceiling was lined with beams which made the installation of the curvy centerpiece more challenging. Each set of curves needed to be placed accurately in line and linked together with timber strip which connected all the curves together in one piece. Hence, with the various ceiling heights, every set of curves needed to be adjusted to create a perfect fit for the next set of curves in order to create a smooth continuous structure.
The lighting system was also crucial as each of the dining tables needed to be well lit. This however, was difficult because each light fitting on the second floor needed to be adjusted in accordance with the curved structure above, as they were all at different heights.
User Experience
Plywood is durable and 100% recyclable, this was the main component used to construct the ceiling feature, drink bar and wall feature. Other materials such as solid timber were also used in the shelves and furniture, the raw wooden materials utilised carry certificates from the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and the Forest Stewardship Australia (FSC) which guarantees that the material is from sustainably managed forests that incorporates legal logging operations. Furthermore, low volatile organic compounds (VOC) paints were used to paint the walls and ceiling. As a result, this design project was extremely environmentally friendly due to the materials and paints used in its development.
Retail Experience
This award celebrates creative and innovative design in the retail environment. Consideration given to attracting, engaging and motivating customers to make purchases, the use of colour, lighting, space, product information, sensory inputs (smell, touch, sound) as well as technologies such as digital displays and interactive installations.
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