Page 82 - Designing Ways 255

View of the entrance and VIP section

Iru Izakaya: When Bar shelving

Tradition Meets

Modernity

Brossard, Canada

eeking to develop a space conducive to the discovery of Japanese
cuisine and the izakaya atmosphere, Chef Frédéric Dufort
Sand his team entrusted the design of the spaces for their new
culinary project to Cléo Katcho Design Architectural.

A new Japanese pub concept
Having immersed themselves in the history of izakayas - small
Japanese pubs where small plate sharing is typical - the design team
opted for a conceptual approach that would juxtapose the modernity
of the place with its roots. This dichotomy between the izakayas' long
culture of tradition and the restaurant's modernity set the tone for a
series of design interventions marked by contrasts.

The concept was strongly inspired by the post-war alleyways where
the izakayas were established, and by their dark and raw side. This
influence is particularly noticeable in the material choices and
lighting design. The design was crafted to contrast both soft and hard,
warm and cold, rudimentary and sophisticated, in order to create
the immersive and sensory experience the team set out to achieve.
The numerous lighting interventions in this project have largely
contributed to the achievement of this objective.

A plurality of experiences within the same space
The space, which already had some architectural components that the
team had to work with, was planned so that there would be distinct
sections. By using different types of lighting and seating, the team
was able to create several spatial transitions within a large open space.

The first section, identifiable by a series of alcoves, focuses on games,
represented by the blue neon symbols on the wall and influential in

82 Issue 255 • dw