dash design partnered with Brandimage to create several new dining venues within Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai. The venues include three new restaurants - the Chinese restaurant Yong Yi Ting, the modern-French Fifty 8º Grill, the all-day restaurant Zest, and the renowned Mandarin Cake Shop.
The brand-led approach for each venue resulted in four distinct concepts and storylines, which translated into deeply immersive and engaging spaces and created unique dining experiences for guests. Coupled with the use of luxurious materials and an acute attention to detail in the design, dash design and Brandimage have created three high-concept dining experiences that uphold Mandarin Oriental's exceptional level of service and reputation for luxury.
Inspired by the concept "Mythical Journey," Chinese restaurant Yong Yi Ting incorporates multiple experiential zones throughout the restaurant beginning with an enchanting entrance through the bar and lounge space. The lounge features a customized ceiling illuminated with traditional Chinese wine jugs, and a massive, lighted wine wall, making an elegant reference to the restaurant's extensive global wine selection and wine cellar. The use of dark woods and rich fabrics create a sense of Chinese Imperial culture and project an aura of luxury.
The main dining area opens up beyond the lounge, receiving natural light and creating a more accessible and modern Chinese dining experience. Tables and banquettes appointed in rich leathers and woods are complemented by stone walls and partitions adorned with traditional Chinese motifs.
Catering to the market demand for private dining with high-touch service, the restaurant features eight opulent private dining rooms that are accessed either via the main dining room or via a private entryway in the back of the restaurant. The arrangement of the private dining rooms is based on a contemporary version of Chinese Hutong, or narrow streets or alleys joining neighborhoods, creating a sense of mystery and anticipation while moving through and discovering the rooms. Each private dining room was conceived and built as a floating glass box, with half of the walls covered in glass and finished with black marble and slate. While mysterious and simple on the outside, the private dining rooms are luxurious and intimate on the inside.
Adjoining Mandarin Oriental's Executive Apartments is an upscale restaurant, Fifty 8° Grill. Drawing inspiration from the concept of Neo Deco New York, Fifty 8° Grill is a fresh and modern take on Manhattan in the 1930s-rich and elegant yet comfortable and welcoming.
Fifty 8° Grill features a signature leather and onyx bar and is adjacent to an immersive wine display that flanks the secondary entry. A large stone bread oven positioned at the far end of the restaurant and anchored by communal chef's table that floats into the center of the space, is the restaurant's focal point. Once inside, rich red and brown leathers, walnut wood, stone, and glass create an atmosphere evocative of the exclusive New York hideaways.
To meet the all-day dining needs of the restaurant Zest, dash and Brandimage developed a concept of "Woven Experiences" to serve as the basis for the multi-functioning space. A challenging convergence of cultures, occasions, and cuisines flourishes within a modern setting featuring light woods and neutral fabrics. Warm light bathes the restaurant from above, allowing the impressive selection of cooking stations throughout the restaurant to be the spotlight.
The Mandarin Cake Shop, which adjoins Fifty 8° Grill, is a simple and elegant boutique. Based on a concept "Sweet Luxe," the shop's design celebrates the imagination of Mandarin pastry chefs and their sweet creations.
The boutique features light wood and stone and an open plan, blending the classic with the contemporary and encouraging exploration and participation, as chefs prepare their fine pastries in plain view.
Photos: Xu Fei /: 徐飞