After realizing a series of the Noodle Rack concept for Longxiaobao, a casual noodle diner, Lukstudio explores the lightness of the rack design at their first Shanghai location. Given the 150-sqm interior corner in the Sun Moon Light Center, Lukstudio opens up the facade and showcases the dining atmosphere in a translucent latticed structure. Following the original fan-shaped plan, a curvilinear wooden core encases all service areas, allowing the white trapezoidal wireframe to stand out. Composed of 8mm x 8mm steel bars, the fine yet strong grid integrates partition, ceiling, seating and shelving, simultaneously blurring boundaries between diners and passers-by. Walking along the coherent storefront and seeing through the restaurant, in-line customers are encouraged to imagine themselves in place of the diners between the white lines. The soft barrier has shaped various spaces for some who enjoy their solitude to others who love to connect. The dining experience is further enriched by hanging steel wires mimicking “the hanging noodles”, a tribute to the previous concept stores.

DETAILS

client: Longxiaobao
location: Unit 3F-07, Ruijin District, Sun Moon Light Center, Xujiahui, Shanghai
net area: 152 sqm
scope: storefront design, interior design, custom furniture & lighting design
design team: LUKSTUDIO
director: Christina Luk
project team: Jinhong Cai, Melody Shen, Leo Wang, Yiren Ding, Sarah Wang
design period: January – March 2017
construction period: March – June 2017
general contractor: Shanghai MaiChang Construction Project Co., Ltd.
photography: Dirk Weiblen