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Project Name: Wagyu Steakhouse

Location: Phuket Thailand

Date Completed: 2019

Interior Designer: NAO Taniyama Associates

Phuket is one of Asia’s most famous resort destinations. Naturally, it is home to a variety of steakhouses. Restaurants in resorts often try to limit the construction cost by utilizing inexpensive materials to maximize profitability. In other words, these restaurants are targeted for tourists who only visit the resort once or twice a year. Meanwhile, WAGYU is made not only for tourists, but also for locals of various nationalities.

To aim for a “Locally loved store”, it is necessary to create delicate stores which are difficult to achieve in resorts. The restaurant has a small bar and lounge at the arrival floor – a social gathering venue for people living in the neighbourhood. The dining venue below is connected to the lounge through the seamless double height void space. The restaurant below starts with an open dining space, a simple & hygienic kitchen equipped with a grill, a custom showcase where guests directly choose the part of the meat they fancy, and exclusive dining seats at the back which is versatile to convert into a PDR. The art wall which penetrates through the two venues from floor to the double height ceiling is composed with collection of woodblocks used to dye the batik, which offers the space strength and sophistication in a local approach. These two layers of spaces will offer various experiences as well as a feeling of synergy within one community.

It was a challenge to pursue high-quality products in an environment where inexpensive materials are commonly used and technical skills are not demanded. It can be said that this is a challenge for the current resort industry.

The most important result of this restaurant is that we were able to create a new look on how restaurants should be in resorts. Alternatively said, we were able to provide new form of affluence to locals from various backgrounds who live in Phuket. The lives of these locals exists in this resort and the richness in life should be that of a kind that nestles closely to their daily lives.