Tomo – is a restaurant in White Middle, simply south of Seattle, WA. The consumer named the restaurant after his grandmother, Tomoko, and the Japanese phrase “tomodachi”, which means ‘pal’. Embracing these heat roots, wooden grew to become the centerpiece of the house. Practically every bit of the inside was created domestically, bringing down the carbon footprint of the challenge, and amplifying the native financial impression. The 80’ picket mild fixture, pendant lighting, bench seating, chairs, bar stools, tabletops, slatted wall panels and shake cladding have been customized and fabricated by our group simply 5 miles away.
Architizer chatted with Seth Grizzle, Founder & Artistic Director at Graypants, Inc., to be taught extra about this challenge.
Architizer: What impressed the preliminary idea on your design?
Seth Grizzle: Our preliminary idea was impressed by the concept of an area to take pleasure in nice meals with out the trimmings or stiffness of conventional superb eating. We wished to create plenty of heat, so wooden is a centerpiece of the house: Referencing shou sugi ban, a lot of the inside wooden has been stained a deep ebony, whereas oak shingles organized like scales clad a wall working the size of the house, and distinction the strict geometry of the vertical ash slats that wrap the opposing partitions.
This challenge received within the tenth Annual A+Awards! What do you consider are the standout elements that made your challenge win?
I believe what stands out about Tomo is that just about every bit of the inside was created domestically, bringing down the carbon footprint of the challenge, and amplifying the upfront, native financial impression of the challenge. The 80’ mild fixture, pendant lighting, bench seating, chairs, bar stools, tabletops, slatted wall panels and shake cladding have been customized and fabricated by our group simply 5 miles away. As properly, practically the entire lighting is immediately built-in into the architectural parts–the wall panels, the bench seating, the bar cabinets– the lighting is felt however not seen.
What was the best design problem you confronted in the course of the challenge, and the way did you navigate it?
The house is slim and deep, posing a threat of feeling chilly, tight and confining. Code restrictions meant fastened partitions, plumbing and loos. With these traces already drawn within the house, we labored with softening parts; wooden, built-in mild, a impartial pallette to create a eating expertise that’s refined however not extravagant, and elevated by mild.
How did the context of your challenge — environmental, social or cultural — affect your design?
The context extremely influenced the challenge. The consumer selected Tomo’s neighborhood, White Middle, very intentionally because it has been on a slower path to financial development and turning into extra inviting to guests. As a chef with an extended checklist of accolades, and a neighborhood curious to be taught his subsequent endeavor, the consumer intentionally rejected the concept of one other anticipated restaurant inside the metropolis of Seattle, in hopes of dashing the trajectory development in White Middle with an area to take pleasure in nice meals with out the trimmings or stiffness of conventional superb eating. With the design, the group responded by creating an area exceptional sufficient to really feel like a vacation spot–a spot price touring to- for each meals and ambiance.
What’s your favourite element within the challenge and why?
Certainly one of my favourite parts within the challenge is a customized, handmade 80-foot linear wooden fixture that traces your entire size of the restaurant. The structure of the restaurant invited a reference to a night in one of many countless alleyways of Japanese cities; the customized fixture fantastically connects this house with out cluttering it.
How have your shoppers responded to the completed challenge?
We cherished seeing that since opening, the restaurant has instantly begun outperforming their projections, with a booked strong calendar bringing a whole lot of individuals to the neighborhood each single night.
How do you consider this challenge represents you or your agency as a complete?
Tomo is a mirrored image of Graypants’ emphasis on the interaction between mild and structure. They all the time inform each other, and in Tomo, the lighting is felt far more than seen. Aside from the linear fixture, which could be very seen at the same time as it’s fairly understated.
Is there anything vital you’d wish to share about this challenge?
The associated fee per sq. toes of this challenge is, conservatively, 35 % beneath the benchmark, largely because of the group’s potential to make easy, touchable supplies really feel stylish in a monochrome palette. The group used a design/construct method for the challenge, fabricating a lot of the first design parts reminiscent of fixtures and furnishings, reducing out suppliers and shortening the timeline considerably.
Crew Members
Seth Grizzle, Bryan Reed, Caleb Patterson
Consultants
Fin Design Store
For extra on Tomo, please go to the in-depth challenge web page on Architizer.
Tomo Gallery
