named after the first chinese man to be naturalized as a british citizen in 1805, ‘john anthony’ is a contemporary dim sum restaurant located in hong kong, drawing from the story of the historical figure. in london, jogn anthony’s job was to provide accommodation and food for arriving chinese sailors — he became the father of limehouse’s chinatown. through the design, architectural studio linehouse tells about the man’s journey, exploring the fusion of architectural styles and materiality between east and west and colonial architecture blurred with eastern detailing, to create a british tea hall turned into chinese canteen.
architects: linehouse
location: shop b01-10, basement one, lee garden three, 1 sunning rd, causeway bay, hong kong
year of completion: 2018
client: maximal concepts
area: 700 sqm
photography: jonathon leijonhufvud
inehouse explored the materials john anthony would have encountered on his journey: hand-glazed tiles, natural and racked renders, terracotta, hand dyed fabrics and hand woven wickers. arriving guests are transported down a vertical staircase of white metal and backlit diffused glass. the entrance captures a glimpse of what is to come: terracotta render walls with a triple height arched ceiling clad in pink tiles, and a lime green terrazzo floor. infinite reflections of the arches are captured in the high-level mirrors.
the main dining hall in linehouse’s restaurant is an interpretation of the storehouses in the docklands. the modern vaulted space plays on verticality, lightness and has a sense of whimsy with circular canopy columns in a dusty pink lacquer and white metal arches surrounded by terracotta render. the architects play on the retro nostalgia of the chinese canteen, fusing it with colonial detailing captured in the elements of the timber bar with glass vitrines, wicker leaners and furniture, and gold and maroon floral fabrics. a collection of infused gin tubes hangs vertically above the bar, infused with blends of plants found along the spice routes. a white metal structure hangs from the render ceiling reminiscent of an industrial storehouse, suspending custom timber tube lights, while bespoke hammered copper lights line the walls.
from designboom