Interior design studio Cléo Katcho has revealed the design of Iru Izakaya, an immersive new restaurant in Brossard, Quebec. Inspired by the legacy of Japanese pubs, Iru Izakaya celebrates the history of the concept through a modern lens.
“The goal was to open an izakaya that would not be authentic, as it is not located in Japan, but that would put forward the traditions associated with it in a setting that depicts modernity. Why not make tradition meet modernity?” says Cléo Katcho. “Our concept is, therefore, unique because all our interventions are linked to traditional Japanese elements but are expressed through a contemporary material language.”
A contrast between soft and hard, warm and cold, and rudimentary and sophisticated characterizes the space, which also draws upon the raw, shadowy post-war alleys where izakayas were often found. Inside, artwork of Tokyo’s Edo period infuses a sense of history across the sexy atmosphere. A unique interplay of light and color permeates the interior, establishing a convivial and intimate air. “By using different types of fixtures and colors of lights, some warm and some cold, we did not only create a contrast to reflect our concept but we managed to visually divide an open space by creating separate sections,” Katcho adds.
The central lantern-like bar serves as the alluring nucleus of the restaurant, where sake protocol is de rigueur. Gaming alcoves are carved into the interior, distinguished by blue neon symbols as well. Cold materials, like steel, juxtapose ash wood across the concrete interior, reinforcing a sense of urban grit.
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