Nin Hao




Located in Prospect Heights of Brooklyn, the Fujianese restaurant Nin Hao has a given space that is 16-feet-tall with abundant sunlights coming from its south and east facing curtain walls. Therefore, the sense of transparency is omnipresent in this space.

Two materials that interact light differently were implemented surrounding the dining space — translucent Austrian curtains along the windows soften the sunlight, creating a gentle interplay between light and shadow. This filtered light, in turn, reflects off the polycarbonate-paneled wall on the opposite side, diffusing throughout the space and contributing to an atmosphere that feels airy, bright, and ever-changing.

As the sun sets, the tall polycarbonate-paneled wall transforms into a glowing lantern, illuminating the space and the curtains, which creates an intimate and cozy lounge ambiance. Pendant light fixtures, along with a series of floating elements glimmering with warm lights, greet guests and passersby on Dean Street.

Underneath the translucent curtain and transparent walls, cement tiles with different shades of warm grays,which were informed by Chinese gray bricks, become the dominant surfaces in different forms that guests can touch, lean on, or sit in, and linear planters along the curtain wall to house the succulent greens. Opaque and translucent, rough and sleek, traditional and contemporary, a series of contrasting pairs in dialogue echo Nin Hao’s ethos, which embraces its cultural roots while also embodying a contemporary spirit and a well to adventure.

Location
Brooklyn, New York

Category
Restaurant

Signage & Graphic Design
Yihuang Zhou, Yixuan Cao

Planting
Livin

Furniture Fabrication
Big Sin Wood

Mural Art
Chemin Hsiao

Photography
Sean Davidson

Status
Design 2023
Completion 2024