Shanghai- and Hong Kong-based design practice Linehouse has unveiled its latest project, a contemporary dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong. Named for cross-cultural pioneer John Anthony, the first Chinese-born man to become a naturalized British citizen in 1805, the eponymous eatery tells his story through the fusion of architectural styles and material palettes.
Reminiscent of both a British tea hall and a Chinese canteen, the restaurant embraces materials John Anthony himself would have encountered in his journey. Natural and racked tenders are installed alongside terracotta, hand-dyed fabrics, and handwoven wickers, while hand-glazed pink tiles adorn the triple-height, arched ceilings of the interior above lime green terrazzo floors. The main dining room serves as a reinterpretation of the storehouses of London’s docks, complete with vaulted ceilings and reclaimed terracotta floors sourced from abandoned rural homes in China. A timber bar is detailed with glass vitrines and accented by glassware housing botanicals of the spice routes. Wicker furniture upholstered with gold and maroon floral fabrics also punctuates the bar space.
A white metal structure that recalls an industrial storehouse roof hangs form the render ceiling, along with custom timber tube lamps, while hammered copper lights line the walls of the dining room. Clad with green and blue tiles, ached enclaves offer intimate dining space and views of the kitchen. Turquoise curtains are also added for increased privacy. The private dining room in the rear of the interior boasts tiles hand-printed with large illustrations of 18th century trade commodities, ranging from medicinal poppies to exotic animals.
