Whenever Studio Arthur Casas embarks on a new project, the São Paulo-based firm seeks to create an entirely new world with users at the center of the experience. “The essence of our design is to unleash new perceptions, feelings, and connections through materiality, lighting, color, and texture,” says firm founder Arthur Casas. This concept rang especially true for a recent commission in Miami Beach.

Located in the vibrant city’s South Pointe neighborhood, Kosushi envelopes patrons in a sensory experience with an abundance of Japanese vernacular architecture and contemporary references on display. Notably, the 2,863-square-foot space is outfitted with extensive cube-shaped woodworking that is inspired by the traditional Japanese carpentry technique of joinery—which does not use nails, glue, or screws—across its ceiling and walls. “The woodworking was used to cause moments of wonder and surprise,” says Casas. “It sets up a new space configuration, resizes it, plays with solid and void spaces, and determines paths.”

The curved sushi bar is the restaurant’s centerpiece

Further, the centerpiece curved sushi bar frames the “orthogonal lines of the low ceiling wood structure in order to achieve visual balance and harmony,” he says. The restaurant’s material and color palettes further establish this harmonic connection, with bronze accents juxtaposing light oak and grayish tones of the concrete walls. The design team also carefully considered how the complexity of the wooden backdrop would work together with light and shadow to achieve an atmosphere of comfort.

While the interior takes cues from Japanese culture, nods to the firm’s Brazilian roots can also be found in the furniture, fabric pairings, and finishes throughout the concept. “The idea was to create an atmosphere totally independent from the urban landscape of Miami,” Casas says. “There’s an intimate and surprising mood inside the restaurant.”

The low ceiling height creates an ambiance of warmth within the space

The interiors feature a mix of materials including oak, concrete, and bronze