Xiaoshi Restaurant / Longterm Design

Architects: Wang Lianglong, Pan Jianchun, Lin Zhangxiang, Ying Haifeng, Zhan Bin
Area: 270 m²
Year: 2022
Photography: Wu Changle
Contractor: Zhejiang Yiming Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd.
Lighting Consultant: SIKI Lighting
Building Materials: Furniture by Shanghai Xiangning Crafts Co., Ltd., Metal by Wenzhou Yijie Metal Production, Woodworks by Zhejiang Hecheng Woods Co., Ltd.

Xiaoshi Restaurant, an interior design project by Longterm Design in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China, has transformed the dining experience by integrating classical Chinese aesthetics and modern operational requirements. Completed in 2022, the design draws inspiration from Tang and Song Dynasty culture, utilizing a dark color palette, custom furniture, and nuanced lighting to evoke a serene atmosphere reminiscent of rain on leaves. The space promotes depth and reflection by featuring a landscaped outer area, a dramatic entrance hallway, and a main dining room with full-height windows and illuminated panels.

Xiaoshi (小十) restaurant in Wenzhou offers a refined dining experience that draws inspiration from the local environment. Designer Wang Lianglong (汪良珑) integrated Chinese classical aesthetics, particularly from the Tang and Song Dynasty periods, with the operational needs and the existing site’s conditions, which is located on the upper level of a busy mall. During his initial site visit, Wang was moved by the atmosphere of the unfinished mall, which was open to the sky. This setting evoked memories of rain and clouds described in ancient Chinese literature, inspiring the design concept.

The restaurant’s outer area forms a landscaped stage that sets the dining room back from the mall’s main space. This intermediary space references nature, creating a sense of transition and anticipation, ultimately enhancing privacy for diners. The curved landscaped area, featuring bamboo stalks and a stone walkway, echoes the minimalism of a traditional Japanese garden. Wang used a dark color palette to introduce the calm of a moonlit evening, with the dining room beyond serving as the primary light source, drawing visitors inward.

Upon entering through a narrow hallway, visitors find the space dramatically opening into the main dining hall. The restaurant’s elongated proportion required visual variation, so Wang extended the moonlit theme inside, employing dark wall panels, flooring, and furniture. These elements are accented by gold details and linear illumination. Full-height windows along the north wall, separated by deep vertical mullions, filter natural light, creating a striking scale and rhythm. Guests enjoy an elevated city view, with downtown lights glittering at dusk.

Opposite the windows, the main wall features custom-designed panels with illuminated translucent timber. These panels, inspired by the appearance of raindrops during a downpour, provide a lively contrast to the space’s rectilinear elements. Dining sections are elevated one step above the floor level and lined with LED lights for spatial definition and visual flair. This illumination continues at the edges of the ceiling panels, creating a consistent aesthetic and a sense of depth.

Custom-designed hardwood furniture, finished in black lacquer, enhances the restaurant’s atmosphere of calm refinement and craftsmanship. Inspired by traditional Japanese dining arrangements, the furniture contributes to the serene ambiance. The dining room features gold-tinted objects and details, including a minimalist water fountain, glass chandeliers, antique vases, and handmade ceramic tableware.

When Wang Lianglong began the design process for Xiaoshi Restaurant, he aimed to balance commercial, operational, and aesthetic aspects. He stated, “Incorporating Japanese garden and Tang Dynasty aesthetics allowed us to achieve a simple sophistication.” By blending these cultural influences and resolving practical program aspects, he created a richly detailed space that fuses past influences with contemporary sophistication. This approach ensures a dining environment that feels both timeless and modern, providing guests with a unique and memorable experience.