studio nutto transforms 70-year-old house in pattaya into hidden japanese bar

concealed lush pathway leads to ronin bar in pattaya

Studio Nutto has transformed a 70-year-old house in Pattaya, Thailand, into a Japanese bar hidden within a sushi restaurant. The Ronin Bar is accessible only through a lush backyard garden, entering into a space that fuses traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern architectural elements for an intimate, multi-sensory environment where patrons can gather after dining in the main restaurant.

Stepping through the garden’s concealed pathway, visitors are greeted by a concrete facade textured with vertical lines and granite stone accents. The understated and raw expressions embody the guiding design principle of ‘the imperfection of nature is an art’, offering a distinct dialogue with the material palette of the interiors.

all images courtesy of Studio Nutto

studio nutto weaves natural textures through the space

Before embarking on this project, the owner operated Ronin Restaurant, a Japanese eatery which sat beside a 70-year-old house which they purchased and renovated into the Ronin Bar. For the bar’s design, Thai practice Studio Nutto drew inspiration from Japanese colonial-era architecture, where traditional elements blend with contemporary materials and techniques. Materials in the garden and bar area include yakisugi, or burned wood, granite stone, concrete, metal, and corrugated glass. These materials are carefully chosen to evoke a sense of calm and refinement, setting the stage for a layered spatial experience that gradually unfolds as visitors move through the bar.

Inside Ronin Bar, Studio Nutto has employed a black-on-black color scheme, enhancing the prominence of the surrounding greenery and ambient lighting. The focal points of the interior are the bar itself and the serene garden views, framed by large windows that transform the garden into a living art piece. Key materials such as lava stone, dark grey granite, and dark skimcoat provide a textured, minimalist backdrop, while the original solid wood ceiling was preserved to retain the old house’s character. Subtle reflective elements, including crystal lamps and antique mirrors, add depth and complexity to the interior.

Studio Nutto has transformed a 70-year-old house in Pattaya

Eschewing a single open layout, the design incorporates a sequence of hidden scenes and intimate corners. The entrance tunnel, lined with antique glass shoji panels, leads to a front bar area with comfortable armchairs where guests can watch the bartender at work. Further inside, private nooks accommodate small groups, while window seats offer views of the tranquil garden outside.

The private garden extends the immersive experience with steps of varying heights, which serve both practical and aesthetic functions, acting as seating and garden lighting panels. By elevating the tree heights, these stepped levels enhance privacy while framing the garden as an artful landscape visible from within the bar. Through Studio Nutto’s renovation, Ronin Bar becomes a seamless blend of traditional Japanese architecture and contemporary design, offering an unexpected, immersive retreat in the heart of Pattaya.

a Japanese bar hidden within a sushi restaurant

fusing traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern architectural elements

materials include yakisugi, or burned wood, granite stone, concrete, metal, and corrugated glass

the understated expressions embody the guiding design principle of ‘the imperfection of nature is an art’

eschewing a single open layout, the design incorporates a sequence of hidden scenes and intimate corners

lava stone, dark grey granite, and dark skimcoat provide a textured, minimalist backdrop

the Ronin Bar is accessible only through a lush backyard garden

a concrete facade textured with vertical lines and granite stone accents

project info:

name: Ronin Bar
architect: Studio Nutto

location: Pattaya, Thailand

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom