Villa Moon restaurant

2021-2022

Gross Area

862 m²

Status

Complete

Completion Date

2022

Duration

2021 - 2022

Location

Hangzhou, China

Award

Villa Moon Wins the 2024 Asia Pacific Interior Design Award.

Project Overview

The Moonlit Restaurant project is located in a key historical and cultural district in Hangzhou, within the architectural renovation project along the Grand Canal’s historical street area of Dadao Road, adjacent to the Zhejiang Province's key cultural heritage site, Xiangji Temple. Since 2009, the Canal Group has been gradually upgrading the entire historical district, aiming to protect and reinterpret the cultural circle along the canal.

Design Concept

The brand of Villa Moon was born from the owner's simple yet romantic dream of creating a space where delicious food, beautiful scenery, fine wine, and a few close friends can come together. It aims to offer a peaceful escape from the busy pace of life, providing an independent space for a different kind of life experience. During discussions, the owner often referenced a scene described in the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai’s poem Drinking Alone Under the Moon. Inspired by this, the concept revolves around the element of "moon," with the intention of creating an atmosphere of calm and tranquility, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and enjoying the gifts of nature.

The surrounding urban context, with its alternating architectural language of "tradition" and "modernity," places the project at a central position within the city. Here, the architectural styles change in a radial pattern, and the restaurant is positioned at the boundary of this transition in the city’s architectural style. Therefore, a design style was sought that could both accompany visitors in this historical and cultural area and preserve the memory of Dadao Road. As a result, the project adopts a "double-faced" organizational design: the west side overlooks the inner alleys of the historical district, preserving the traditional language of white brick walls and black ceramic tiles; the east side faces Lishui Road, with modern architectural language incorporated. This integration of the project with the city's cultural context echoes the original intent of the concept.

Architecture & Spatial Layout

The ground floor adopts a typical traditional Chinese siheyuan (courtyard) layout, achieving a strong sense of integration and interaction between interior and exterior spaces. On the south side, a folding glass wall can be fully opened, seamlessly connecting the interior with the courtyard garden.Entering the restaurant, the project is organized across two levels. The western area of the ground floor accommodates the kitchen and bar. Moving upstairs, a specially designed double-height opening on the east façade creates an indoor landscaped balcony. Through the full-height floor-to-ceiling glass, one can overlook the city and enjoy a refined lifestyle experience.

Materials & Interior Aesthetics

The selection of interior finishes and furnishings is based on the concept of “nature,” intentionally avoiding excessive artificial decoration. Instead, materials with minimal processing were chosen, including concrete, brushed stainless steel, micro-cement, polished concrete, wood, and fluted (Changhong) glass.Contrary to traditional methods that emphasize surface coverage, this design approach seeks to “discover” the raw character of the architecture itself and transform those natural surfaces into decorative elements.

Lighting & Atmosphere

For lighting, rechargeable ambient lamps are used for the dining tables. These not only provide greater flexibility in table layout but also align with the project’s core theme of the “moon.”This choice creates a relaxed, poetic ambiance — reminiscent of “drinking under the moon, immersed in nature, sharing stories with friends.” The lighting concept not only echoes the interior’s tranquil mood but also blends effortlessly into the modern urban setting visible through the expansive glass façade.

GALLERY