Lighting design of 41 sushi restaurant in Ginza, Spain

This is a Japanese restaurant in the heart of the Pyrenees.

The first thing when we started this project was that we all agreed that we wanted new customers to live in it and how much we wanted to create a Japanese enclave in the middle of the mountains. Most importantly, how to transition from the speed of major city shopping streets to the calm atmosphere of Japan.

Inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki’s work In Praise of Shadows, we discover a range of contrasts, textures and details within simple spaces. Although the dining room is very bright, we started with a black canvas to highlight the power of shadows.

Lighting is key and unlike a typical restaurant project, here we deal with the lighting scheme first and then all the interior design details and materials. We designed a precise lighting concept, we aimed for contrast, detail and intimacy, each space has its own scheme in order to be separate and private from the next, but at the same time, all spaces share a warm white lighting, have different effects.

The experience starts from the street, when the restaurant is identified by a simple facade, with different glass transparency revealing parts of the interior. As you walk inside, the transition between daylight and interior begins with a cold light shaded by rice paper, a calming diffused light that invites you to slow down and enjoy the space. From the first steps you can almost see the entire restaurant; we managed to define different environments within it.

The main room is equipped with spotlights that shine directly on the food, making its colors, shapes and shadows the real protagonists. To ensure it, we used 10 spotlights with a minimum CRI value of 90 to illuminate the table accurately.

From the street to the most intimate parts of the restaurant, from a very even and soft light to a very contrasting and detailed light beam. Thoroughly positioned paper screens delineate the space, add privacy and screen lighting, creating a cozy atmosphere.

All furniture and decorative details were carefully selected by the design team. From the tables to the artwork on the walls, everything has been carefully selected to create the perfect harmonious lighting.