Renovation project for the YUNOTAKE AN restaurant building of KEMENOI BESSO, located in Yufuin, one of Oita Prefecture's leading hot spring resorts. The existing restaurant building had an atmospheric exterior with a thatch-covered roof, and its interior was also a calm space with massive beam frames and columns that gave a sense of the building's history.

On the other hand, the iron plate counter, which was originally a showpiece of the restaurant, had become dilapidated and was taking up too much of the overall space, so the client wanted to reduce its size and increase the seating area. We aimed for a plan that blended the old and the new by updating the entire building as a modern installation while use of the existence elements. Firstly, the core of the plan was to make the most of the building's strengths and to improve the creative the planned site.

The layout of the necessary functions has been rearranged to make efficient use of space and to create a new, naturally formed showplace. In addition to the aforementioned counter, the restaurant's drinks serving area is also visible from the dining area, and we considered it important to create a separation between the kitchen functions and the dining area. Therefore, the aforementioned kitchen functions were concentrated in the main kitchen, and the new space created by this was converted into dining and private dining rooms, giving them new functions.

Furthermore, a new wine cellar room and a lounge space in the atrium have been created between the kitchen and the dining area, creating a space clearly separating the two. A reception counter finished in walnut wood was also installed at the entrance. The floor finished with unglazed tiles and glass partitions create a calm atmosphere that welcomes visitors while gently dividing the space.

Another important aspect of making the most of the existing building was the lighting and ceiling plan. The lighting scheme, which had been planned around pendant lights as in the old Japanese houses, was reviewed, and the lighting scheme was designed to accentuate the presence of the beam frames. The effect was reinforced by removing a part of the wall that had fallen down, to create a sense of spaciousness in the upper part of the space. On the other hand, the shop floor is finished in the same sisal as the existing floor, only to be replaced with a new one.