Designer: Wuxing Youxing Space Design
Area: 3,500 m²
Completion Date: October 2023
Photographer: Xu Yiwen
Design Team: Wei Zhixue, Gao Yuan, Jiang Renpu, Yu Yuanhui, Qian Zhendie, Zhang Huada, Chen Wenjie, Ding Zhiwei
Party A Team: Liang Jinlin, Zhang Zijie
Construction Unit: Hangzhou Ju Tie Decoration
Lighting Design: Xintong Lighting
Art Installation: Tang Renhua
Floral Arrangement: Da Fu, Yi Hang
City: Nanning
Country: China
Guangxi Banquet, a restaurant in Nanning, China, designed by Wuxing Youxing Space Design, merges local cultural and natural elements into a modern dining environment. Completed in October 2023, the 3,500-square-meter space utilizes traditional materials and abstract forms to create a dining experience that celebrates Guangxi’s regional identity while meeting the functional demands of a business-oriented establishment.
Guangxi Banquet is a restaurant that embodies the essence of Guangxi’s local cuisine, offering diners a space where they can reconnect with the region’s cultural and natural heritage. Designed by Wuxing Youxing Space Design, the project captures the spirit of Guangxi’s landscapes and traditions, delivering an immersive dining experience that reflects the area’s unique identity.
Designer Wei Zhixue, who has worked with the Guangxi Banquet brand for over a decade, approached this project with a deep understanding of its values. Unlike more expansive design strategies, this particular project is focused on catering to the specific needs of business banquets. It emphasizes the public gray spaces within the restaurant, utilizing concise forms and locally sourced materials to align with the brand’s business goals and budget considerations.
Located in the heart of Nanning’s new business district, Guangxi Banquet is surrounded by high-rise office and commercial buildings, areas with a significant demand for banquet spaces. The design subtly incorporates elements of Guangxi’s cultural heritage, starting with the entrance, which features a local stone that pays homage to the iconic “Elephant Trunk Hill.” This sets the stage for an abstract interpretation of the region’s landscape.
The design features an interplay of bamboo shadows and textured stone surfaces, establishing a connection between the natural world and the urban environment. This interplay provides diners with a tangible link to Guangxi’s natural beauty. Upon entering the restaurant, guests are greeted by “Free Flight,” an art installation by Tang Renhua. This installation features a bamboo grid inspired by the Li River, which adds a sense of sequence and mystery to the space, encouraging exploration.
The design elevates often overlooked aspects of daily life, transforming them into spaces that are both functional and spiritually resonant. The natural karst landscape of Guangxi is reimagined through the design, with interplays of light and shadow across the space evoking images of bamboo forests and fishing boats along the Li River. Each floor’s elevator hall is designed with different thematic elements, offering diners moments of discovery. The “Days of the Page” installation, with its vibrant brocade, creates a visually engaging experience that reinforces the brand’s identity while enhancing the overall dining atmosphere.
The interior spaces of Guangxi Banquet are designed with a formal architectural language that goes beyond the building’s structural limitations. By extending the boundaries of the elevator halls and corridors, the design offers greater flexibility within the public areas. The specially treated bamboo forests, set against textured stone, create a dynamic environment where flickering light and shadow awaken the senses, guiding diners into a dreamlike dining experience.
On the opposite side of the corridor, water elements enhance the serene beauty of the space. The design balances local cultural characteristics with modernity, focusing on the texture and detail of materials while maintaining simplicity. The use of dynamic water textures aims to create a tranquil yet richly atmospheric environment. Bamboo, stone, and water are combined in the design to create a structured environment that reflects the landscape of the Li River, guiding visitors through the natural splendor of Guangxi.
The connection between the design and the local restaurant brand extends beyond the spatial arrangement to embrace the cultural elements ingrained in the region. Indigenous, Central Plain and marine cultures blend to form a unique regional identity, which is captured through the use of Zhuang brocade’s five-colored silk thread as a central artistic element.
Building on this motif, the project adopts a more transparent and light-filled approach, focusing on the stairwell’s gray space and water textures, which naturally draw the attention of diners. In its exploration of Zhuang village culture, the design reinterprets traditional symbols such as silver headdresses, bronze waist drums, and rock paintings in a contemporary style, fully immersing diners in the brand’s cultural heritage.
The Zhuang bronze waist drum is reimagined in the modern design, bridging indoor and outdoor spaces, and creating a dialogue that transforms dining into a contemporary art experience. Guangxi Banquet’s commitment to welcoming guests with the region’s rich cultural offerings is clearly expressed in the design, which combines warm wood elements with Zhuang cultural motifs. The integration of the “Six Gifts” dining experience further deepens the emotional connection between the brand and its guests.
The restaurant’s design strikes a balance between independence and connectivity, reflecting its business orientation. The spatial arrangement, enriched by the sounds of silk and bamboo, and the visual elements of bronze drums and ritual music, creates an immersive dining atmosphere deeply rooted in local traditions.
Designer Wei Zhixue continues to refine the dining space in collaboration with Guangxi Banquet, creating a culturally rich environment that enhances the region’s culinary identity. This project not only strengthens the brand’s ties to local culture but also offers diners an authentic, contemporary dining experience.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Nanning, China
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
