Yamato Japanese Steakhouse
St. Augustine, Florida

The design of this 5,670 s.f. project plays with form, light, material, and texture, creating a contemporary interpretation of Japanese architecture. The primary facade, broken into five segments, rises from north to south addressing the corner with a sweeping curve that provides visual interest and allows light to penetrate the interior. Originally designed to be clad in copper, budget constraints required the abstracted fish-scale pattern to be designed in stucco.

Guests arrive through a circular steel portal in a 22’ wooden gate constructed of cypress and experience a transition into the Japanese culture. Custom built copper clad doors welcome guests into the waiting area, which looks past a traditional Ryojin-style garden, and into the dining area.