Stainless steel, brass and polycarbonate are among the materials used by New York firm Dreamscript Lab to create a small Chinese restaurant with a futuristic atmosphere.
Located in the East Village neighbourhood, Dumpling Lab serves up contemporary dishes influenced by the coastal cuisine of Qingdao in northern China. Specifically, the restaurant focuses on dumplings with atypical fillings.
Dumpling Lab in Manhattan's East Village is designed to have a futuristic atmosphere
"The concept behind the restaurant is to re-create the Chinese dumpling by introducing non-traditional, new stuffing while engaging the guests to test out new recipes like in a lab," said local firm Dreamscript Lab, which has designed several Asian restaurants in Manhattan. For Dumpling Lab, the designers aimed to create an inviting environment that conveys the eatery's experimental spirit. For the "futuristic, lab-like interior", the team used materials not often found in dining areas, including polycarbonate and stainless steel.
The staircase to the basement is framed by a green wall
Roughly rectangular in plan, the 1,650-square-foot (153-square-metre) eatery is spread across a main floor and basement level and seats up to 30 people.
Upon entering, diners encounter a bar and dining room awash in golden light.
Downstairs, the lighting is swapped from golden to blue
Along one wall is a faux leather and fabric banquette, stainless steel tables and acrylic chairs. Along another wall ...