After the successful launch of case study 06, the Restaurang ÄNG Project, the Japanese lifestyle brand Karimoku extends its existing furniture portfolio by launching the Restaurang ÄNG collection, a bespoke collection of wooden furniture items designed by Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa specifically for the Swedish restaurant.
The Restaurang ÄNG collection comprises four items, a circular dining table A-DT03 designed by Keiji Ashizawa as well as the 2-seater club chair N-CC02, a geometric coffee table N-CT02 and a bar trolley N-T01, all designed by Norm Architects.
All items distinguish themselves by their geometric body and clean lines paired with select high-quality materials that are in line with the restaurant’s local and sustainable approach.
The Swedish restaurant ÄNG is located in a newly built, modern glass house, neighboring the local vineyard Ästad.
Norm Architects, the lead architects for this case study, have implemented a custom-designed interior concept to a strikingly simple yet beautiful effect.
Focusing on Scandinavian design principles and serene materials, the bespoke interior explores similarities between Japanese and Scandinavian expressions.
All collections by Karimoku are based on real-life case studies that respond to a native setting, ensuring a holistic approach to the interior, bespoke furniture items, and surrounding environment.
“Äng is in many ways in line with our design philosophy of striking a balance between all the elements that make up a space. Here, our role has been to create a harmonious backdrop, where all elements support one another so that the guest feels comfortable and can simply immerse oneself in the experience,” says the designers of Norm Architects.
The round table A-DT03 responds to modern European fine dining and hospitality culture.
Based on the design of the rectangular dining table A-DT02, originally designed for case study 04, the private Azabu Residence, the round table A-DT03 maintains the characteristic shape and diagonal arrangement of the legs.
Without any aprons, the round table has a simple and clean appearance.
The versatile table can be used in any location and is suitable in private settings as well as in the hospitality industry.
The N-CC02 is bridging the needs of having a relaxed look and feel, while still maintaining an engaged sitting position.
The design is a line-extension of the existing N-CC01 where the inner parts of the design – the surfaces that meet the body – are fully upholstered to create a soft and comfortable feeling, while the outer parts are more stringent and architectural to allow the wooden elements to be in focus.
The sofa N-CC02 will be available in Pure and Smoked Oak as well as Grain Matte Black.
The coffee table N-CT02 was designed as a simple solution to the ever-changing needs of the restaurant.
The cubic design language offers an understated modularity, making it easy to rearrange in the dining setting as the amount of guest and group sizes changes through the evening – resulting in a table than can easily stand alone as a plinth-like object, while also working great in numbers.
The coffee table N-CT02 is made from pure oak and will be available in Pure and Smoked Oak as well as Grain Matte Black.
Inspired by the umbrella- and shoe racks by the entrance of Japanese temples and shrines, the design of the ÄNG trolley N-T01 is determined by the needs of the kitchen and staff.
With an ambition to incorporate many of the existing details from the collection into the design, the designers have added joinery in contrast colors – a construction that resembles that of the shelving system – as well as a paperbraid handle to enhance tactility and create coherency across the collections.
The furniture items will be available for order from January 2023 from Karimoku dealers worldwide.
Project: Restaurang ÄNG collection
Designers: Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa
Manufacturer: Karimoku
