AJÍ RESTAURANT | Alex March Studio

According to two of its various definitions, the word NIKKEI defines migrants of Japanese origin and their descendants. In gastronomy and together with the culinary terminology it refers to the fusion between Japanese and Peruvian cuisine that dates back to the end of the 19th century, with the landing in Peru of hundreds of workers needed to cover the cotton and sugar collection from the fields. More globally, as early as the 1980s, Nikkei restaurants became popular, making this definition even more popular.

Located in the Olympic port of Barcelona, this restaurant of contained and well used dimensions unites the most select of the gastronomic culture of these two countries.

The space is orchestrated around two elements that preside over the premises and make the preparation of dishes by the chefs a protagonist, a sushi bar and cold dishes where we can eat comfortably and a space for grilling and hot cooking, visible through an elongated glass that protects customers from the mixture of smells of the various foods that are cooked.

The intention of the project is to transfer to the visual development of this establishment the culinary experience of fusion through the most outstanding of these two cultures, with a base of autochthonous materials and forms inspired by traditional Japanese architecture and a very colourful chromatic setting closer to Peruvian culture, all this added with a brave formal commitment through the use of straight lines and diagonals that blend harmoniously.

The premises enjoy a good source of natural light through a large window that connects to an outside garden. A general and a punctual illumination, both controlled, emphasize the warmth of the textures of varied surfaces wood, metal, stone, that conform a cosy set that emphasizes the purity of the materials. It is worth pointing out that for the creation of this restaurant four types of tables were designed, the lamps in the bar, the composition of the ceiling lights next to the murals and the floors. It could be said that the only existing element is the Alki chairs and stools, specially stained in oak and comfortably upholstered in natural leather in various colours.

The grill, seen from any point of the restaurant, gives the chefs a relevant role within the room, a wall of backlit discs and amplitude to create... 

All the woods used in the restaurant are natural, and representative of Japan, mainly Bamboo. 

The light fabric blinds were placed to achieve this effect thanks to the garden outside the restaurant.