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Interior Designers: Plan PLan
- Area: 1800 ft²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Sean Davidson
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Manufacturers: Artaic, Cle, DURLUM, Juniper Design, MUTTO, Mattiazzi, Noguchi, Rose Brand, Wastberg
Text description provided by the architects. Located in Prospect Heights of Brooklyn, the Fujianese restaurant Nin Hao has a given space that is 16 feet tall with abundant sunlight coming from its south and east-facing curtain walls. Therefore, the sense of transparency is omnipresent in this space. Two materials that interact with light differently were implemented surrounding the dining space -translucent Austrian curtains along the windows soften the sunlight, creating a gentle interplay between light and shadow. This filtered light, in turn, reflects off the polycarbonate-paneled wall on the opposite side, diffusing throughout the space and contributing to an atmosphere that feels airy, bright, and ever-changing.
As the sun sets, the tall polycarbonate-paneled wall transforms into a glowing lantern, illuminating the space and the curtains, which creates an intimate and cozy lounge ambiance. Pendant light fixtures, along with a series of floating elements glimmering with warm lights, greet guests and passersby on Dean Street.
Underneath the translucent curtain and transparent walls, cement tiles with different shades of warm grays, which were informed by Chinese gray bricks, become the dominant surfaces in different forms that guests can touch, lean on, or sit in, and linear planters along the curtain wall to house the succulent greens. Opaque and translucent, rough and sleek, traditional and contemporary, a series of contrasting pairs in dialogue echoes Nin Hao's ethos, which embraces its cultural roots while embodying a contemporary spirit and a well-adventure.
The two themed bathrooms are adorned with customized mosaic tiles representing two iconic paintings—"Spring Morning in the Han Palace (1494-1552)" by Qiu Ying and "Hudson River Valley from Fort Putnam (1855)" by George Henry Boughton. Additionally, one of the bathrooms features a two-way mirror that offers a view of the dining space while maintaining privacy—further heightening the sense of surprise and adventure in the restaurant. Nin Hao wants to be a welcoming place for the local communities and people with different cultural backgrounds. With this spirit in mind, the dining space is also a canvas that invites engagement. A green round table with a rotating tray can be converted to a Mahjong table; a 12-foot-long dining table in vibrant red invites exchanges between guests.
The design incorporates a flexible framework that allows the restaurant to evolve with seasonal themes and curated artwork. The 17-foot-wide west wall left intentionally minimal, serves as a platform for rotating art installations, while a flexible ceiling grid system supports sculptures and lighting that can change with the seasons, offering new perspectives on the space over time. Here, the interplay of materials, cultures, and art fosters a sense of ongoing transformation—both in the space itself and in the minds of those who gather within it.
