Often times in Interior Design the challenge to be fresh and relevant is conflicted with the need to remain refined – making smart decisions becomes a necessity. In western design this challenge is often met through the use of natural elements to create and define the interior space.
Architects at CL3 achieved this balance through their design of the Beijing restaurant, Nishimura, located within the Shangri-La Hotel. CL3 utilized the sculptural properties of wood to its fullest potential, building art into the actual design. “We try to avoid just buying artwork at the end and putting it everywhere. But here we didn’t work with another artist. Instead, we built art into our design,” explains William Lim, managing directors of CL3 in an interview for Architectural Record.
The space is approximately 5,400-square-feet of wood, slate, pebbles, sand, bamboo and water – making way to the design theme which was Natural Garden. The project was completed in April 2007.