Lady Bund Restaurant | Dariel Studio

Lady Bund shines the light on a new dining experience. Eagerly awaited newcomer on the glamorous Bund Scene, the Asian-fusion restaurant is beautifully set on the 4th floor of Bund 22, a well-preserved building with more than 100-year history standing at the southern end of Zhongshan Road. Built in 1906 in the “Electric Architecture style,” Bund 22 is the only Century-old red-brick building on the bund, a new landmark standing out as an elegant lady in a red dress.

As the building itself harmoniously blends western architecture with Chinese culture, the owners wanted Lady Bund to be a worthy representative of East-West fusion. They therefore invited Thomas Dariel, Shanghai-based French designer, for his well-known talent to bridge and play with both cultures while being firmly contemporary.

Both Asian and European elements have influenced the Asian Fusion interior and the gastronomic concept. Beyond culture, Thomas Dariel also takes up the challenge to create a space with a strong identity that ought to be as vibrant and embezzling in two very distinctive contexts: lively and cozy restaurant in the daytime, intimate and fancy dining lounge during night.

From the entrance, the reception area sets the tone. Fully wrapped with floor-to-ceiling herringbone-pattern wood panels, the space radiates an overall warm and welcoming atmosphere. At its center, a simple yet elegant golden reception desk brings a glamorous note while the beautiful artistic installation of ceramic eggs by WOKMedia gives a glimpse of the creativity put behind the project.

Setting a foot into the space, ones will first encounter the bar area, strong statement of Thomas bold design and starting point of the Lady Bund story, which tells us about Asian traditions, paper and calligraphy. Indeed, large rice-paper stripes are elegantly falling from the ceiling and above the impressive brass streamlined bar, while, as an echo, the wall shelf behind it displays traditional calligraphic brushes.

Looking at the space from the bar, a mesmerizing perspective opens-up and ones can immerse themselves in the extravagance, all while overlooking the splendid view of the Bund. This main area, very large, holds the same atmosphere yet proposes distinctive functions and set-up to the guests. In the middle part of the space rests the dining area, featuring sleek and comfortable furniture. Wallpaper rolls deploy themselves from the ceiling onto the adjacent wall to divulge a very poetic image of a man’s tattooed back. Around the dining area and all along the arched
windows runs the lounge area, furnished with an eclectic choice of elegant furniture, bringing a
vibrant, young and attractive vibe to the entire volume.

Throughout the space, prevailing earth color tones add finesse and delicateness into a strongly visual and creative interior. Inspired by traditional silk weaving looms, Thomas Dariel mapped the second dining area with interlacing rope strings, which creates an intriguing geometrical pattern, a translucent web enveloping the dining stage. At the heart of the space and in between the tables, four bright blue pending lights of the newly-born Maison Dada brand run through this cocoon, bringing a sense of pure design, brightness and modernity. Overlooking the dining area, the open-kitchen allows tantalizing glimpses to the gourmet dishes prepared by the chef and features an installation of intertwining copper pipes, industrial reflection of the silk web.

Both dining areas each host one elegant VIP room, separated from the rest of the restaurant by
rattan partitions that ensure intimacy while keeping a semi-transparency. Richly decorated, the
two large private rooms enjoy unique designed ceilings illuminated with poetic images fitting
Lady Bund’s identity.