The Winners!
Extreme Taste Restaurant 2023
First Prize Winners
Vidushi Lakshmi, Khushi Shirur & Shreya Dabas
India
Vidushi Lakshmi, Khushi Shirur & Shreya Dabas
Congratulations on winning the Extreme Taste Restaurant Design competition! Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background in design?
Thank you for the recognition in the Extreme Taste Restaurant Design Competition. Our names are Khushi Shirur, Dabas and Vidushi Lakshmi. We are currently third-year students at the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal, studying bachelors of architecture.
The theme of the competition was "Extreme Taste." How did you interpret this theme in your restaurant design concept?
"The theme of 'Extreme Taste' prompted us to conceptualize a restaurant design that transcends mere culinary experience to offer a profound sensory journey. Our interpretation sought to engage patrons on multiple levels, integrating gastronomy with the surrounding environment and cultural identity. Through architectural elements such as a cascading waterfall, we aimed to evoke serene auditory sensations, enhancing the ambiance. Our use of vernacular materials and regional cuisine not only stimulated taste buds but also stirred nostalgic sentiments, fostering a deeper connection with local heritage. By harmonizing these sensory elements, our design aspired to elevate dining into a holistic and immersive exploration of human perception and cultural appreciation."
What inspired you to create the concept for your winning design? Were there any specific flavors, cuisines, or culinary experiences that influenced your vision?
The inspiration behind our winning design concept stemmed from a profound desire to honour and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Khasi tribe, emphasizing the importance of conserving their traditional handicrafts and ancestral skills passed down through generations. Our vision was to encapsulate and showcase both the tangible artifacts and intangible experiences intrinsic to this culture, harmonizing form and function within our design approach. Specific Flavors, cuisines, and culinary experiences unique to the Khasi culture deeply influenced our creative vision. We curated special dishes and incorporated local spices to highlight the vibrant flavors of the region. Notably, our design featured a dedicated 'momo deck,' celebrating the distinctive spice profiles synonymous with the area. By intertwining these culinary elements with our architectural narrative, we endeavoured to create a comprehensive and authentic dining experience that pays homage to the culinary traditions and cultural identity of the Khasi tribe."
The competition emphasized pushing the boundaries of traditional culinary experiences. How does your design challenge conventional norms in restaurant architecture?
Our design challenges conventional norms in restaurant architecture by reimagining the circulation and spatial experience within the dining environment. We strategically integrated view decks throughout the seating areas, forging connections between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape to create a seamless visual extension. This deliberate blending of indoor and outdoor elements not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also invites patrons to engage with their surroundings on a sensory level, harnessing all five senses. By prioritizing these experiential aspects, our design transcends traditional boundaries, offering a dynamic and immersive setting that goes beyond mere culinary functionality. This innovative approach aims to redefine the role of architecture in shaping dining experiences, fostering a new paradigm of interaction between guests, cuisine, and environment.
"Extreme Taste" is about creating an immersive dining experience that stimulates all the senses. How did you incorporate this aspect into your design? Can you describe how each sense is engaged within the restaurant space?
Our design embodies the ethos of 'Extreme Taste' by fostering an inclusive and immersive dining experience that engages all the senses. We achieved this through thoughtful spatial planning, ensuring diverse areas catered to various customer preferences, including families, social gatherings, and those seeking cultural immersion.
For sight, our restaurant features scenic views, live cooking counters, and courtyards, accentuated by double- heighted spaces and strategically positioned view decks. This visual richness creates a captivating ambiance that resonates with patrons.
Auditorily, our multipurpose area hosts traditional music and dance performances, enveloping guests in the authentic sounds of the culture. The integration of auditory elements enhances the overall dining atmosphere. The olfactory experience is enriched by the aroma of freshly prepared cuisine and the nostalgic scent of rain- kissed soil, a characteristic fragrance of the location.
Taste is central to our design, celebrating the region's traditional cuisine through curated menus and culinary experiences that reflect local Flavors and ingredients.
Lastly, tactile engagement is fostered through the incorporation of traditional architectural elements and textures, encouraging patrons to connect with the cultural heritage palpably.
By harmonizing these sensory elements, our design offers a holistic and captivating dining journey that transcends the ordinary, creating a truly memorable and multi-dimensional experience for our guests."
Visual aesthetics play a crucial role in restaurant design. How did you ensure that your design was visually striking and captured the essence of "Extreme Taste"?
Visual aesthetics were paramount in our approach to designing a captivating and immersive restaurant space that embodies the essence of 'Extreme Taste.' We meticulously curated the visual elements to evoke a sense of cultural richness and sensory delight.
To achieve this, we integrated lush greenery and plants, alongside furniture crafted from local materials, showcasing the region's unique craftsmanship. Our design embraced contextual sensitivity, blending harmoniously with the surrounding environment and utilizing bamboo's versatile qualities to add an organic and sustainable touch.
Key architectural features such as an open bar, double-heighted spaces, and a well-considered hierarchy of spatial layouts contributed to the visual dynamism of the restaurant. We curated various seating arrangements to cater to different preferences, offering both privacy and opportunities for social interaction.
Through these deliberate design choices, our restaurant presents a visually striking experience that not only reflects the concept of 'Extreme Taste' but also celebrates the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the locale, inviting guests into a visually captivating journey of culinary and aesthetic exploration.
The concept of surprise and delight is essential in delivering an extraordinary dining experience. How does your design evoke these emotions for patrons?
Our design approach prioritizes tranquillity and serenity to offer patrons a genuine escape and respite from their busy lives, rather than relying on traditional surprise elements. We aimed to create a space where visitors can immerse themselves in the authenticity of the locality and truly relax, without feeling overwhelmed by gimmicks or tourist-centric attractions.
By focusing on a sense of place and providing a serene environment, our design seeks to deliver an extraordinary dining experience through genuine authenticity and a deep connection with the local culture. This approach encourages patrons to Savor the essence of the destination, fostering a meaningful and memorable encounter that goes beyond mere novelty or spectacle.
The architecture of the restaurant should reflect and enhance the concept of intense Flavors. Can you explain how your design achieves this goal?
Our restaurant's architecture is purposefully crafted to complement and amplify the concept of intense Flavors. By integrating elements that stimulate all the senses, our design creates a holistic experience that heightens the enjoyment of culinary offerings.
Visually, the use of natural materials like bamboo and local craftsmanship evokes a sense of authenticity, setting the stage for a rich gastronomic journey. The incorporation of lush greenery and open spaces not only enhances the ambiance but also connects patrons with the freshness and vibrancy of the ingredients used in our dishes.
Audibly, our multipurpose areas resonate with traditional music and ambient sounds, adding layers of cultural depth to the dining experience. The interplay of sound and space fosters an atmosphere conducive to savoring each flavor.
The olfactory dimension is elevated through the strategic placement of live cooking stations, allowing the aromas of freshly prepared dishes to tantalize guests as they explore the restaurant. Additionally, the subtle fragrance of rain-kissed soil, endemic to the locale, further enhances the sensory immersion.
Tactile engagement is fostered by the thoughtful selection of furnishings and textures, providing a tactile connection with the surroundings and enhancing the overall comfort and enjoyment of the dining experience. Overall, our restaurant's architecture is designed as a harmonious backdrop that enhances the intensity and authenticity of flavors, offering patrons a multisensory journey that celebrates the art of dining.
Second Prize Winners
Dilara Sarıkaya
Turkey
Dilara Sarıkaya is a 23-year-old senior architecture student at Gazi University.
Congratulations on winning the Extreme Taste Restaurant Design Competition! Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background in design?
My name is Dilara Sarıkaya. I am 23 years old. I am a senior architecture student at Gazi University. I have never participated in any competition before, I can say that this is my first international competition.
The theme of the competition was "Extreme Taste." How did you interpret this theme in your restaurant design concept?
The first thing I thought about when interpreting the Extreme Taste theme in my concept was that it was a concept that would arouse the customer's curiosity and make them want to come and see it as soon as possible. First, I thought about myself. If I were a customer, what would attract me there, what would happen in that restaurant, would I rearrange my plans to go there or would I want to come from another country? Afterwards, I wanted to combine my restaurant concept with my own interests. I remembered the food names in the fantasy-historical fiction books I read. I started my research by finding the recipes. When I realized that I had access to recipes, the idea started to appeal. Afterwards, I started asking questions to my friends around me who were not very interested in these issues. I designed such a restaurant, would you come? Would you like to see it? I realized that even if they were not interested in these subjects, they found them interesting and wanted to try them. I realized that I could attract customers there because they were curious, even if they were not interested. I liked this idea and was completely settled on my concept.
What inspired you to create the concept for your winning design? Were there any specific flavors, cuisines, or culinary experiences that influenced your vision?
Books were what inspired me. Books with their own world, their own language, their own food. What inspired me was that I imagined what the food looked like while reading the books. I can say that no particular cuisine influenced me. My aim was to create a flavor that had never been made before. I could bring out that flavor with the best imagination. Since I am not a chef who can come up with a new recipe myself, the best way to do this was to take advantage of the closest source that feeds my imagination. That's why I chose books.
The competition emphasized pushing the boundaries of traditional culinary experiences. How does your design challenge conventional norms in restaurant architecture?
I made my structure transparent to challenge traditional norms. I tried to keep the closure to a minimum level, except for the sections that need to be closed and will serve as carriers. I tried to move forward in parallel with the view that the area where the production was located gave me. I decided on an area surrounded by trees like a wall. My aim when choosing it was to both create a magical forest reference for the books and to use the elements that the competition wanted from me. I needed to present these trees as a view to customers, so transparent design was important to me. Also, the concept I designed was about imaginary dishes that did not actually exist. I tried to be imaginative there, just like my meals, with my use of transparency. I wanted my core to remain like a ruin, in harmony with the historical texture of the city. The transparency I created around it would remain between yes and no. I used glass carriers, glass curtain walls and glass floors.
"Extreme Taste" is about creating an immersive dining experience that stimulates all the senses. How did you incorporate this aspect into your design? Can you describe how each sense is engaged within the restaurant space?
I wanted the trees and fire pit, which I included in my concept to engage the senses in my restaurant, along with my use of torches, to create a fairy-tale ambiance and appeal to the eye. I dreamed of nice dinners that could be eaten with the rustling of the trees. I thought about the feelings that different taste combinations of dishes that they had never tasted before would evoke in people, and how attractive the smell of an open kitchen and food cooking on a fire pit would be.
Visual aesthetics play a crucial role in restaurant design. How did you ensure that your design was visually striking and captured the essence of "Extreme Taste"?
I preferred that my restaurant be hidden from the outside and not immediately visible. Therefore, if you are an outsider, you will not be able to understand exactly what it is, but once you enter the garden, you will be greeted by a design that attracts attention with its transparency. I thought that a building that could reflect so much light and make people feel what was going on inside, unlike the tall and stone buildings around, could be interesting.
The concept of surprise and delight is essential in delivering an extraordinary dining experience. How does your design evoke these emotions for patrons?
Since enjoyment is a somewhat relative concept, it was a more logical choice to release the customers. I offered the client an open and closed area, a terrace and view, day and night service, a self-service or appointment system, a dinner and event area, a cafe and bar. I placed them at appropriate times and places. I leave it to the customer to choose what he/she needs to do to enjoy it. I chose a slightly different route for the surprise. I suggested menu changes, references to newly published books, book recipes that customers could choose from at the exhibition, and author signing and meeting days that referenced festival days. Thus, I tried to make it a place where they can eat different dishes and want to come again.
The architecture of the restaurant should reflect and enhance the concept of intense flavors. Can you explain how your design achieves this goal?
As I mentioned before, I ensured that my design integrated with the taste I offered by remaining between what is and what is not. All of these recipes were imaginary and did not exist. I tried to be like that too. I thought I could achieve this with the best glass. Since most of the books I referenced exhibited a medieval-like atmosphere, I tried to give importance to the ambiance of the design. That's why I emphasized the lighting and the combination of glass and green. In this way, I determined a design in my mind and achieved the goal.
Third Prize Winners
Ebrar Aşkın
Turkey
Ebrar Aşkın is a fourth-year student at Gazi University Faculty of Architecture.
Congratulations on winning the Extreme Taste Restaurant Design Competition! Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background in design?
Hello there. My name is Ebrar Aşkın. I am a fourth year student at Gazi University Faculty of Architecture. I have carried out different projects within the school, including war museum, children's education centre, workshops and high-speed train station design. I participated in an architectural competition for the first time and I am proud to have won an award. I thank you for deeming my project worthy of this award.
The theme of the competition was "Extreme Taste." How did you interpret this theme in your restaurant design concept?
While interpreting the theme of extreme taste in my project, I aimed to make both the taste and the experience of the guests extreme. I also aimed to ensure that those who come to this restaurant have unforgettable experiences and want to come back again. At the same time, I think that the Japanese tea I serve is extreme taste because it makes people travel to Japanese culture.
What inspired you to create the concept for your winning design? Were there any specific flavors, cuisines, or culinary experiences that influenced your vision?
Japanese culture has always been interesting to me. Tea has an important place in Japanese culture. The growing, picking, brewing and even serving of these teas is done with care and ceremony. I wanted to use such an important topic in Japanese culture as a theme in the design of my restaurant. The five types of tea served in my design are all different from each other and are carefully grown and served to guests.
The competition emphasized pushing the boundaries of traditional culinary experiences. How does your design challenge conventional norms in restaurant architecture?
In traditional Japanese architecture, care is taken to use natural materials such as wood and paper. In my design, I aimed to harmonize with nature and create a calm aesthetic by placing wooden material at the center. I also used tatami measurements, a Japanese measurement method, in mass planning. I started the design by creating a gridal order and arranged water elements, gardens, spaces and occupancies in a balanced way.
"Extreme Taste" is about creating an immersive dining experience that stimulates all the senses. How did you incorporate this aspect into your design? Can you describe how each sense is engaged within the restaurant space?
In my design, a visual feast is provided to the guests during the growing and serving stages of Japanese tea. Serving tea in a ceremonial manner actually adds a theatrical atmosphere to the restaurant. Guests can watch this ceremony while tasting. At the same time, while walking around the gardens where tea is grown, the beautiful scent of tea appeals to the sense of smell. The water element used in the landscaping activates the sense of hearing and makes visitors feel like they are walking in a forest. Guests who come to this restaurant to experience extreme taste and experience can enjoy the calmness and peace here.
Visual aesthetics play a crucial role in restaurant design. How did you ensure that your design was visually striking and captured the essence of "Extreme Taste"?
By using bare wood, which has an important place in Japanese culture, in the restaurant structure, flooring and decorations, I actually aimed to use wood as an exhibition element. I wanted to show the guests how wood behaves when it comes together and how it is used as a design element. With the help of the bridges I designed at a higher level, I created an environment for people to have new experiences by offering them a different perspective at a different level. In these bridges, I also wanted to display the open wooden beams on wooden piers from different angles.
The concept of surprise and delight is essential in delivering an extraordinary dining experience. How does your design evoke these emotions for patrons?
I dreamed of a restaurant full of surprises, with the opportunity to have a different experience at every corner. The calmness and peace here gives pleasure to the users.
The architecture of the restaurant should reflect and enhance the concept of intense flavors. Can you explain how your design achieves this goal?
The theme of this project is that intense flavour is provided not only by the sense of taste but also by experience, time spent and new tastes discovered. These tastes make people travel in time and experience the greatest taste.
Special mention
Dobas AG, Gina Furrer, Johannes Lang & Verena Zaugg
Switzerland
Honorable mention
Jose Antonio Carrillo Andrada, Dana Otoom & Alia Almarri
Ceren Gülşen
Yaqi Zhang
Jose Antonio Carrillo Andrada, Dana Otoom & Alia Almarri
United Arab Emirates
Jose Antonio Carrillo Andrada
Architect, Computational Food Designer and Associate Professor of Architecture at the American University in Dubai. Currently working on a PhD in artificial intelligence, computational design and digital fabrication, exploring the intersection between architecture and gastronomy. Consultant for chefs and hospitality firms aiming to create unique projects and sophisticated edible pieces reflecting their brand identity. Since 2018, he has directed @archEatable, an interdisciplinary university project focused on teaching digital design and fabrication techniques transferred from architecture to gastronomy. Member of the UOU Scientific Journal of Architecture editorial committee and editor-in-chief of number 4, Gastrotecture, focused on his doctoral research subject. Visiting professor at the European University of Madrid, the IUAV University of Venice, the University of Architecture and Construction of Azerbaijan, the European Institute of Design Kunsthal of Bilbao and the Basque Culinary Center. Selected to speak at congresses and gastronomic innovation forums such as Foodture Barcelona, GastroInnova Canarias and Food Design Festival Madrid. Exhibitor at international architecture and art fairs such as the Venice Architecture Biennale, Art Dubai, and Sikka Art and Design Festival.
Dana Otoom
An architecture student at the American University in Dubai with a strong curiosity for different potentials within the creative design field. She thoroughly enjoys exploring new technologies and collaborating with disciplines to create new possibilities. Having been a member of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) for the past three years, collaboration has been an aspect of great value, allowing for fruitful exchanges and successful events. Dana currently holds the position of president of the AIAS AUD chapter, liaising with students, faculty, architects, and designers in the region to connect students and the professional world.
Alia Almarri
An architecture student at the American University in Dubai, is passionate about exploring the creative possibilities in design. With a background in computational design, she enjoys researching futuristic fields and technologies within architecture. Currently, in her role as Creative Coordinator for the AIAS AUD chapter, she actively cultivates an environment of connection and idea-sharing among students, strengthening bonds within the architectural community and the AIAS AUD chapter.
Ceren Gülşen
Turkey
Ceren Gülşen, a student continuing her education in architecture, participated in the competition, which significantly contributed to the enhancement of her architectural skills and insights. She believes that architecture, as one of the most beautiful forms of art, reflects the soul of its creator, much like other branches of art. Ceren is enthusiastic about sharing a glimpse of her life with others and is eager to continue producing new projects and furthering her skills in architecture.
Yaqi Zhang
China
