Surface Design Awards – Complete

• INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE YEAR - NEW
  This is a new category that recognises wall, floor, ceiling and surface design products, including decorative, creative and inventive surfaces for the interior of buildings including both commercial and residential properties.

Overall Project Description:
The brief called for an opulent interior with vivid colours, noble materials, and intricate details to exude richness, elegance and sophistication.
Throughout the venue, various materials and textures were thoughtfully curated, resulting in an expertly blended palette of colours that exude modern elegance.

On the ground floor, the colour palette showcases vibrant reds and gold metal accents, flooding the space with warm tones: striking red velvet booth seatings are paired with richly decorated fabrics featuring tigers, flamingos and other exotic animals in the style of ancient illustrations from the Far East; turquoise glazed tiles adorn the sushi counter; a golden metal sheet on the rear wall reflects the light softly and draws attention to the sushi counter; cognac-coloured leather bar stools complement the warm tones of the tables, which are finely crafted with a reverse diamond mahogany veneer; terrazzo flooring, spotted with pieces of white marble, resembles the pattern of an Asian cheetah fur and is complemented by the black borders on the wall panels and flute-shaped table legs.
The design was further inspired by the geometric precision of Japanese architecture, characterized by the modular repetition of tatami mats: interwoven wall panels crafted from paper and linen are intersperse with vertical strips of mirrors, while rectangular light wood panels on the ceiling are framed by darker wooden beams, echoing the rigour found in Japanese architectural design.

On the first floor, the wooden finishes remain consistent with the ground floor, though the red seating is replaced with velvets in shades of orange and sky blue.
Dining chairs feature fabrics with intricate illustrations of paradisiacal gardens. The wall panels are rounded at one end, concealing LED strips illuminating a jacquard fabric with golden floral patterns. The floor is adorned with a geometric mosaic in shades of cerulean blue, terracotta and currant red.
Additional bespoke elements designed by Maria Oliva are the bathroom furnishings, crafted from the same mahogany wood as the tables. The sinks are decorated with gliding cranes, weaving in and out of white cherry blossoms, in line with the Asian-inspired decor throughout the space. The toilets feature a backdrop of blue tiles with ochre shades and a relief of an eye-shaped motif.
The project was completed in December 2022 with an overall cost of about £400,000.

The materials used for the design were carefully selected for their durability, given that this is a commercial project, and to align with the design concept (described above).

In particular, the Super Mirror Water Rhythm by Rimex metal, used in the ground floor's central section of the ceiling, was chosen for its undulating and highly reflective surface that resembles gently rippling water.
Maria Oliva explains: "I was fascinated with the potential of this undulating metal as it resembles a water surface. I immediately thought of the water lantern festivals that are so popular in Asia. I wanted to recreate the theatrical, almost magical atmosphere of these festivals."

The bespoke pendants were designed specifically to emit a soft light through the perforated gold metal sheets and cascade in a spiral design on the ceiling, reminiscent of the floating lanterns following river currents.

The project has been executed with a strong commitment to minimizing material waste throughout the space. Measurements of the area were taken at various stages of construction to ensure the efficient production of the custom-made elements.

One of the design challenges was the ceiling height. To overcome this, the reflective surface of the Super Mirror Water Rhythm metal sheet was chosen to disguise the issue and create the illusion of height effectively.

Rippled metal finish on the ceiling: Rimex Metals
Sushi counter tiles: Parkside
Toilet tiles: Marazzi and Ragno
Flooring on the ground floor: Inopera Group
Flooring on first floor: Solus Ceramics
Metal chain curtain: Kriska Decor
Interwoven panels on the walls at the ground floor: Weitzner Samson supplied by Altfield
Fabric on the back of the chairs on the ground floor: Pierre Frey
Fabric on the back of the chairs on the first floor: Osborne&Little
Fabric on the wall panels on the first floor: Metaphores