Area-17 designed the first international restaurant owned by Michelin-starred chef Björn Frantzén. From Stockholm, in Hong Kong he presents his minimal cuisine born from the fusion of Western and Eastern culinary tradition. Frantzén’s Kitchen is an informal space that was originally a warehouse on the ground floor of a historical building in the old neighbourhood of Sheung Wan, now the elegant, exotic, and hip hearth of Hong Kong.

The wide windows on the street dematerialize the façade and overtly reveal the nature of the restaurant as a city venue. Its casual soul is perfectly embodied in the interior design, which offers a variety of accommodations – from the countertop facing the open bar to traditional tables and seating to the countertop overlooking the street outside – and also a great flexibility in organizing tables and seating.

The atmosphere is cosy and welcoming. A punctual lighting reverberates all around, warmed up by the amber tones of copper inserts and the wide Dark Emperador marble countertop theatrically organized around the bar area. Smooth, reflecting surfaces alternate to warm materials reinterpreted with a contemporary twist: wood on the floor and for the stylized boiseries on the walls; richly weaved fabric for the bespoke bench seatbacks; chairs and benches upholstered with aniline leather.

Interiors play with an ample yet sophisticated palette including an incredible number of grey and brown nuances. The red accents of lamps and chairs, quoted also in the textile inserts, give rhythm and vivacity to the project. Textures are no less so: twines, overlapping, and cross-references among floor, ceiling, and walls fully return the oxymoron of a rich simplicity, which is the core of the restaurant’s culinary offer.

Design: Area-17
Photography: Zoe Ho