Sapid Studio has designed a Japanese-inspired burger bar in Geneva. The interior of the restaurant is characterized by the Japanese “boro boro” patchwork concept. Find out more about the project here.
Sapid Studio has designed a Japanese-inspired burger bar in Geneva. The interior of the “Sando” restaurant is characterized by the “boro boro” patchwork concept. Find out more about the project here.
Sapid Studio is a collaboration between Cecile-Diama Samb and Michael Piderit. The two designed the interior for Sando, a restaurant in Geneva whose name is derived from the Japanese word “Sando-icchi” for sandwich. As the project consisted of renovating an existing burger restaurant, many of the functional requirements for the space had already been met. Instead, the two architects were able to focus on renovating key elements that would reflect Sando’s identity. The subtle, precise design elements give the restaurant a very special inner life. For example, the duo integrated the Japanese concept of “boro boro”. This process uses repaired or sewn-together materials to create a multi-layered patchwork effect.
The restaurant’s large central bar is clad in brushed stainless steel. This is inspired by omakase counters and is intended to facilitate dialog between guests and staff. A row of hanging textiles punctuates the bar. These bear Sando’s lettering and are made from recycled fabric produced by local upcycling studio Lundi Piscine. Eight birch wood bar stools in different shades surround the bar. A table-high counter surrounds the windows on the opposite side. This design refers to traditional Japanese ramen counters. Alternating natural and brown-stained birch wood panels match the other wood tones in the project and contribute to Sando’s unique patchwork.
The Boro Boro concept also means extending the life of an object. Both the art and the furniture in the restaurant’s interiors demonstrate this through their recycled fabric, mosaic tiled floors, Normann Copenhagen’s speckled Bit Stools made from recycled plastic, and metal café tables. The overall aim is to create a cozy, homely feeling that matches the uncomplicated menu of burgers, sauces and fries. The burgers themselves also have a reference to Japan with flavors such as teriyaki, tamago and miso bacon.
The minimalist design of the Geneva burger bar meets fast food culture. Sapid Studio wanted to keep as much of the original interior as possible, but still managed to completely renovate the burger restaurant in Geneva. For example, the existing bar was repainted and the tiled floor was patched up. The restaurant’s previous wooden paneling was removed and reused as panelling and counter. This made it possible to create an effective space while minimizing the amount of wasted material. Existing elements were reworked and surgically reassembled to create a patchwork.
Apart from the tapestries, the only wall decoration consists of custom-made prints by Swiss illustrator Kristell Silva Tancun. They show classic Japanese art motifs in combination with burgers, fries and other fast food products. The name of the design studio Sapid, which is an acronym of the two surnames of the founders (Samb and Piderit) but also describes a pleasant taste as a culinary term, is also fitting. Sapid Studio’s aim is to design spatial projects that nourish and sustain, always with a strong focus on the details.
Read more: Find out more about Japanese architectural drawings in this report on the Japanese Pavilion.
