various associates creates a 'retro-futuristic' space for shanghai restaurant

within shanghai‘s zhangjiang hi-tech park, various associates has turned a disused space into a new restaurant for ATLATL – an R&D platform for life sciences. occupying an area of nearly 5,600 ft2 (520 m2), the renewed interior provides intimate dining for high-level researchers.

images by shao feng

considering the users of ATLATL restaurant and the type of work they undertake, the client requested a futuristic spatial atmosphere. this prompted various associates to question what ‘futuristic’ really means and to create a final design around ‘the definition of the notion about time’.

the design utilizes elements that are often associated with our imagined idea of the future while also drawing inspiration from ‘retro-futuristic’ aesthetics from the 20th century. a geometric language of curves and spheres is applied to interior structures, surfaces and furniture, echoing orbits of planets.

the ‘floating’ ring in the atrium runs through the lower and upper levels. from the atrium to the restaurant area, and from the bar to private sections, the plan is arranged according to different functions and varying degrees of privacy. the entire space is able to accommodate 200 people for dining, relaxing and socializing.

a retro-inspired style prevails even into the choice of colors. classic hues such as green, blue and yellow are muted with a layer of grey, which intends to symbolize the unknown and generates a softer visual effect. resin, glass panels, mirror-polished steel and other new materials are applied to surfaces while chair and seating combinations feature ergonomic forms and soft leather upholstery.

comparing with present, future will never come, so it only exists in our imagination. however, classics that have stood the test of time imply a certain predictable trajectory of the future. the restaurant is therefore designed as a ‘time door’, which leads to the future while in fact bringing people back to the ‘relative past’. in the end, to turn spatial experimentation into something that’s everlasting and thought-provoking is what various associates hopes to achieve with this project.