Takeya Japanese Steakhouse
Ormond Beach, Florida

This project involved renovating an existing Spanish-themed wood building into a contemporary "Pan-Asian" restaurant. The concept for the renovation was inspired by the Japanese name of the restaurant, which translates to "Bamboo House". Slanted structural steel columns, reminiscent of bamboo groves, were used to create a new entry tower with swooping cantilevered roof lines, recalling the graceful forms of Japanese architecture. Ipe (eee-pay) wood clads the tower with irregular window openings that allow sunlight to move throughout the space during the day and the interior to be seen at night. Diagonal lines of alternating color carry the bamboo concept onto the remainder of the exterior.

The interior was completely gutted to provide fourteen Teppanyaki grille tables. Exhaust was vented below the slab to ducts running vertically on the exterior of the building, allowing the interior to be free of unsightly hoods. Fiber optic lighting was used throughout the Sushi bar and around existing columns to illuminate the interior and provide a contemporary atmosphere.