Lanzhai is a vegetarian restaurant located in the east corner of the Sanlitun Mechanical College (formerly known as the “Beijing Elementary Industrial School” founded by the Beijing Education Bureau in 1907). The environment is quiet despite being located in a busy area. The restaurant has three floors, two above ground and one below ground (kitchen). The private rooms are on the first floor (an additional private room was added on the second floor after adjustments), while the hall is on the second floor, covering a total of about 600 square meters (including approximately 200 square meters of scenery).
Three States of Beautiful Life in Light and Shadow
—— Exploration and Interpretation of “Hidden Light” in Restaurant Space
Understanding Vegetarianism – “Natural State”
The Natural State is experienced through space, and if light can create and enhance this experience (both visually and spiritually), it can fully stimulate people’s emotional levels, enabling them to have a full range of emotions and develop a profound understanding and infinite yearning for a beautiful life.
Regarding the appearance of the Natural State, we respond with the colors of light. We introduce the concept of time in the natural world, the four seasons, each with a recognizable and memorable color impression. We try to blend these colors and let them flow freely in the public area and each private room. As for the essence of the Natural State, we respond with the presentation of light and the interaction between people and light.
Caring for Emotions – “Intermediate State”
Human emotions and states are always changing due to external conditions. How to make guests quickly relax and achieve a suitable emotional level to enjoy dining and socializing after entering the restaurant? This is a challenge that all high-end restaurants face and need to solve.
We try to resolve this challenge by creating an “intermediate state” of lighting environment. The lighting environment of the “intermediate state” has delicate levels, appropriate emphasis, and a dynamic balance where all objects are in contrast, contrasted and fused with each other. Therefore, regardless of the guest’s emotional state before entering the restaurant, the lighting created in every corner of the environment has the most suitable tolerance, which does not elevate or lower the guest’s emotional level, helping guests to relax and enjoy dining and socializing.
Interpretation of Space – “Organic State”
In the pursuit of spatial purity, interior design eliminates excess decoration and retains only necessary functions. Based on this philosophy, warm gray micro-cement and black wood finishes are primarily used in the interior, along with a small amount of beige stone, creating a simple yet warm spatial impression. This primitive and back-to-basics philosophy transforms the entire restaurant into an “organic life form,” allowing people to fully use their imagination while inside.
The “Organic State” concept involves incorporating lighting to complete the spatial expression, while maintaining the organic life form state and impression. Efforts are made to integrate all forms of lighting into space, as if they were “growing” out of the interior space. To achieve this, we imagine that there are holes and gaps in the organic body of space, through which light filters into the interior.
Small, frameless, black-embedded spotlights were selected for the ceiling to create a perforated effect. We strive to minimize the use of ceiling spotlights (reducing the total number to around 10 in public areas), so that the appearance of the holes appears random.
Exploring the Value of Lighting in Restaurant Spaces: “Implicit Light”
Natural, intermediate, and organic lighting are responses to customer groups, emotions, and spatial understanding. In these three states, light is not the subject, but is hidden within space or integrated into objects. This article reflects on and interprets the value of lighting in vegetarian restaurants.
In the Lan Zhai restaurant, light is sometimes used as a material, a means, or a reflection to provide a comfortable and unparalleled dining experience, and to convey a new concept of “good life” to everyone.
