2 Courtyards Restaurant

2 Courtyards Restaurant

2 Courtyards Restaurant is an innovative underground dining establishment located in Shanghai's Lujiazui Financial Development Zone, distinguished by its remarkable architectural design that masterfully transforms subterranean space into an atmospheric Lingnan-style courtyard experience. The 1,070-square-meter restaurant, recognized with a Silver A' Design Award in Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design category, exemplifies exceptional spatial design through its interpretation of traditional Chinese architectural elements in a contemporary context. The design concept revolves around two primary spaces: an open, inclusive garden in the front lobby area and a versatile dwelling house in the rear compartment area, both unified by 4.5-meter-high copper-plated fencing that maintains visual continuity while defining distinct dining zones. The interior's sophisticated material palette features matte-gray Guangdong Yunfu marble flooring and copper-coated metal screens, paying homage to traditional Lingnan architectural aesthetics. Notable design elements include a two-meter square tree pool featuring seasonal floral arrangements, strategically positioned private dining carrels that enhance spatial depth while managing acoustics, and an innovative ceiling design incorporating carefully placed apertures that suggest vegetation and sky views. The restaurant's adaptable layout allows for flexible space configuration through movable partitions and sliding doors, while luminous boxes wrapped around compartments create an interplay of solid and void relationships characteristic of traditional garden architecture. This sophisticated design solution effectively overcomes the challenges of underground dining by creating an environment that feels spacious and naturally illuminated, demonstrating excellence in commercial interior architecture through its thoughtful integration of traditional cultural elements with modern functionality.

restaurant design, courtyard architecture, Chinese interior design, contemporary dining space, underground architecture, spatial innovation

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. '2 Courtyards Restaurant.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/2-courtyards-restaurant?E=440071 (Accessed on October 13, 2026)"