The sushi restaurant complements its takeaway outposts with an experience-driven sit-down restaurant in Milan.

Key features

Milan-based sushi takeaway restaurant Ichi Station has ventured into sit-down hospitality with its new Masquespacio-designed space. Though venturing into longer format dining, the 80-sq-m restaurant follows the same inspiration – train station travel – as its takeaway spaces. The designer didn’t interpret this concept literally but used light to mimic time travel into the future. The restaurant is set in a 20th-century building, which originally made use of arches and vaulted ceilings. The restaurant’s design removed the original arches and vaults and added architectural forms that coincided more with the futuristic concept. The restaurant is separated by a circular tunnel which leads to the sushi bar with three stools for some diners to get close to the action, where guests can observe their food being prepared. Glass ceiling panels are backlit with an indirect LED lighting system enabled with RGB colours invoke the feeling of a tunnel. Microcement walls, ceilings and floors create a monochrome space, punctuated with off-white tables and leather seating.

FRAME’s take

The rise and prominence of food delivery apps has transformed dining out from an experience to a convenience. Ichi Station’s food is available all over Milan for a quick meal, takeaway or delivery. When designing its first sit-down restaurant, close attention was paid to creating an experience which could not be replicated through delivery. Just as retailers are using their physical stores as a way to compete with – and complement – their online offerings, restaurants like Ichi Station are using spatial design to create spaces that encourage customers to ditch their delivery apps in favour of making reservations.

Known for its unique combinations and eclectic flavours, the sushi restaurant’s interior complements its menu. Experimental food is about the entire encounter, something that people might only think is worthwhile if there is an experience surrounding it. It’s something that isn’t intended to be consumed from the couch with a movie playing in the background but from an environment where one can also enjoy the smells, sights and sounds. The open layout connects diners to one another and to the sushi bar where the chefs are producing it. The overall experience closely relies on the physical space to connect to the activity at hand.