JIGI poke eatery by VAUST studio spotlights fisherman culture

jigi poke eatery spotlights hospitality in times of a pandemic

painted in a warm and earthy palette of colors and materials, the JIGI poke restaurant in berlin mitte softly reimagines hospitality in times of a pandemic all while spotlighting fisherman culture. designed by VAUST studio, the new eatery is now open to the public, and welcomes a limited number of guests on each table thanks to an increased distancing between each seat.

‘the majority of the seats are fixed to have a clear manageable structure within the restaurant. the guests are placing their orders at a free standing cash desk, which transfers the task to an isolated preparation lab where the bowls are processed. the customer takes a seat and picks up the tray once being informed to do so. the process avoids unnecessary crowds and waiting situations,’ elaborates the design studio.

all images © VAUST studio

the fisherman’s den: earthy, intimate, and honest accents

the photograph of a hawaiian fisherman from the year 1907 inspired the concept behind the JIGI poke interiors. the image depicts a man sitting on a rock, preparing his fishing gear and wearing the bare minimum of clothing. ‘we appreciate the intimacy, the balance and honesty of this situation,’ explains the team at VAUST studio.

the restaurant articulates those qualities through two curvy, concrete tables that complement each other and capture the guests’ attention as the central pieces of the eatery. to complete those pieces, a combination of cut off granite stones from norway and wooden stumps make up the seating arrangement. their roughly cuts silhouettes, combined with the raw concrete surfaces of each table, echo the rocky textures found in the fisherman photograph.

the artificial stone, a signature part of the brand identity, spins in front of a window

the floor and wall plastering of JIGI poke pick up the warm tones and accentuate the earthy interiors. meanwhile, linen curtains with a bespoke hanging system made of aluminum gently complete the seating experience. binding all those elements together is a large stone, the mascot of the restaurant brand, that slowly spins in front of a window to catch the eye of both passersby and guests.

finally, hand-crafted concrete applications with a rough texture complement the stainless steel kitchen counters separated from the main area by a large glass wall. with their tiled and steel surfaces, the inside of these spaces are reminiscent of a fish market hall scenery.

each table accommodates a limited number of guests to avoid crowding in times of a pandemic