Walnut columns and blackened timber screens nod to the architecture of China's golden age in this atmospheric restaurant in Shantou by local interiors studio JG Phoenix.
Founded by three friends, the eatery is named Sui Han San You or Three Friends of Winter after a Chinese phrase, which refers to pine, bamboo and plum blossom.
Wood panelling features throughout the interior of Sui Han San You
The dimly lit, 1,200-square-metre restaurant was designed around this motif, often used in traditional art to signify resilience based on the plants' ability to thrive even in the colder months.
Wood features liberally throughout the space, forming slatted walls, screens and furniture reminiscent of Tang dynasty architecture ? a period at the end of the first millennium that is considered a golden era for Chinese art and culture. Light grey bricks are contrasted against dark wood panelling
"Architecture in the Tang dynasty was characterised by the perfect integration of strength and beauty, as well as a balance between rigour and magnificence," JG Phoenix explained.
"Such features were incorporated into the design of passages, where walnut columns were orderly arranged at the sides and linked to the ceiling."
A pool runs along the entrance corridor
The dark timber is paired with "austere materials" such as light grey stone bricks and brass to create a sense of balance within the space.
Diners enter the restaurant through a sloping corridor with a pool of ...