“Awai” is a concept from shojin ryori, Japanese Buddhist temple cuisine. Roughly translated, it means “light” or “delicate”, bringing out the best qualities of the ingredients. This is also our guiding philosophy for the design of hospitality venues. We take inspiration from the history of the building, the past lives of a space, and use as much of the existing features as possible to bring out the best qualities.

Hospitality is about making guests feel welcome and cared for, and that begins with the design, long before opening day. From the overall vision down to details like the placement of light bulbs, everything needs to come together to make the guest experience feel special. When guests enter a restaurant or bar, they should feel like they’re leaving behind the rest of the world, and entering another place altogether.