OITA SOHO
Modern Japanese restaurant
Silver A' Design Award 2023-2024
Located in Bloomsbury, London, RAI is a high-end Japanese Omakase restaurant designed to offer an immersive and exclusive dining experience. The space features only 5 tables and 9 sushi counter seats, fostering an atmosphere of understated elegance and serenity
Project Vision & Cultural Context
The brief for Oita Soho called for more than just a minimalistic modern Japanese design. Instead, the project aimed to craft a space that was a fusion of aesthetics and cultural influences—a balance between London’s urban energy and traditional Japanese design principles. The result is a space that feels both contemporary and timeless, offering guests a memorable and unique dining experience.
Materiality, Shadow & Lighting
The color palette of the design plays with contrast and shadow, where natural wood finishes, deep navy tones, and lush greenery create a striking visual effect. The dark backgrounds and framing elements—crafted in shades of black and traditional Japanese navy—allow the wooden details to glow. This interplay between vibrant colors and deep dark tones creates an atmosphere reminiscent of Japanese lacquerware.
A striking feature of the space is the backlit paper parasols, positioned in a flowing pattern along the stairs to the upper level. The lighting throughout the venue is subtle and strategic, with mirrors placed in parallel to reflect the light infinitely, adding a layer of depth and mystery to the space
Craftsmanship & Finishes
The customer WC continues the theme with hexagonal tiles featuring geometric patterns inspired by traditional Japanese fabrics. These details tie into the Japandi style, blending the clean lines and simplicity of Scandinavian design with the warmth and craftsmanship of Japanese interiors, creating a seamless experience throughout the venue.
