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Hassi restaurant

Internal refurbishment and Partial new build

 

Client: Hassi Restaurant

Location:  Wimbledon, UK

Total area: appox. 150 sqm

Budget:150,000 £

Status: On hold

The proposal reimagines an existing Japanese restaurant on Durham Road, Raynes Park, through a combination of sensitive refurbishment and partial new build. The 150 sqm premises are reorganised to create a more distinctive and spatially engaging dining environment, extending the restaurant into the underused rear of the property.

At the heart of the proposal is a new Japanese-inspired courtyard, conceived as an extension of the dining experience rather than simply an external space. The courtyard introduces a quieter and more intimate atmosphere, creating a gradual transition between the enclosed interior and open sky.

Natural light forms a key part of the architectural strategy. A new skylight above the extended dining area brings daylight deeper into the plan while establishing a visual connection with the courtyard. Planting, light and enclosure create changing atmospheric qualities throughout the day.

The project offers a contemporary interpretation of Japanese spatial principles through intimate dining spaces, filtered daylight and a strong connection between interior and exterior, creating a unified restaurant experience across the existing and new spaces.

Description

The proposal reimagines an existing Japanese restaurant on Durham Road, Raynes Park, through a sensitive combination of internal refurbishment and partial new build. Located within an established parade of commercial properties, the project seeks to transform the ex-isting 150 sqm premises into a more distinctive and spatially engaging dining environment.


The existing restaurant provides approximately 34 seats within the front dining area and side spaces, while the rear of the property is currently used predominantly for storage. The design proposes to reorganise the existing layout, refurbishing the front dining space and extending the restaurant into the underused rear area.


At the heart of the proposal is a new Japanese-inspired courtyard, conceived as an extension of the dining environment rather than simply an external space. The courtyard introduces a quieter, more intimate character to the rear of the restaurant, creating a transition between the enclosed interior and the open sky.


Natural light becomes a key element of the architectural strategy. A new skylight is intro-duced above the extended dining area, drawing daylight deep into the plan and establishing a visual connection with the courtyard. The interplay of light, planting and enclosure creates changing qualities of atmosphere throughout the day.


The project aims to establish a contemporary interpretation of Japanese spatial principles through a sequence of intimate dining spaces, filtered natural light and a strong connection between interior and exterior. Rather than treating the extension as an addition to the existing building, the proposal seeks to create a unified restaurant experience in which the existing and new spaces are connected through light, landscape and carefully considered spatial transitions.

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