Good times, late nights and big city lights. From the streets, little laneways and city arcades comes a new kind of asian flavour. Distinctly asian, it’s fast, loud, rebellious, upbeat and confident.

The Brief
The client’s brief was to bring the urban influences from their trip to Japan and Korea a little closer to home, in Braddon, Canberra ACT. Sensing a well overdue need to fill a niche in Canberra’s dining and bar scene, the four partners brought their experience in bars and hospitality together to form Lazy Su.

The Big Idea
Designing the concept was both an exploration exercise into 80-90’s asian pop culture as it was re-imagining asian fusion so it would stand on its own as Canberra’s go-to place.

The Challenge
Designed to be a flexible all-day dining asian eating house, the venue had to allow for counter-side lunches and asian tapas dining to late night whisky, sake bar and cocktails.

Design Features
Each area inside was designated an ‘activation’, from the main entry to the signature bar, counter dining and booth seating. A range of materials from natural wood panels and batons, exposed brickwork, concrete sheeting, lenticular mirrors and hand painted denim cloth were selected due to its common use in Japan, with neon, LED backlighting, 3D-text light boxes and paper lanterns to complete the lighting requirements.

The Brand
The brand had to be fun, loud, cheeky, and designed for the curious minded. Inspired by retro 80-90’s American-Japanese-Korean pop culture, eating houses and hawker stalls, the menu, collateral, uniforms, wall collages and way-finding signs were carefully curated to be sensitive to the interiors, so the customer journey into Lazy Su was to “discover first, ask questions later”.

The Outcome
Lazy Su has had line-ups out the door since opening, becoming a notable addition to the Canberra dining scene. From the moment the sun sets, the neon lights up and music, food, drink and boogie come together. It’s loud, quirky, cheeky, brash, melodic and absolutely fun.

Design: BrandWorks
Photography: Rohan Thomson