Drawing inspiration from the American drive up burger joints of the 1950’s, Chinese studio Neri&Hu has envisioned the Rachel’s Burger restaurant as a porous space where the boundaries between inside and outside are blurred. Located in the former French Concession in Shanghai, the restaurant can be fully opened to further extend the perceived and actual boundaries of the space onto Wukang Road. When fully closed, however, a clever combination of clear and textured glass along with mirror are used to great effect to visually extend the boundaries of the space while bringing light, views and streetscape deep into the interior. The dematerialization of the walls is further emphasized by the dominance of the horizontal planes.
The roof structure seemingly floats above the space while the floor rises and falls to support the custom eating and seating surfaces, integrating communal tables with pivoting benches accommodating for individual or group dining flexibility. Geometric tiles evoke a certain 1950s look and at the same time it gives depth and texture to a very tight sight.
all images courtesy of Neri&Hu