Designed with black as the basic colour, the name comes from the French term “non-usuel (non-usual)” and “noir (black)”.
‘NOL’ in Tokyo is a new chapter in the specific Japanese approach to creating minimal spaces. The restaurant was designed by Koichi Futatsumata’s Fukuoka based design firm, Case Real, and is a base where talented chefs can work for catering preparation or for irregular dinner events. As an experimental kitchen, it is a flexible space freed from the physical restraints of a classical restaurant.
Though it is compact, the goal of Koichi Futatsumata, founder of Case Real, was to create an atmosphere that suits the extraordinary dishes that will be prepared. Compared to the spacious kitchen, this restaurant has only eight table seats and is not fully open to the public.
Futatsumata’s idea was to create a restaurant with an extremely specific touch, considering the stance and characteristics of the space.
To create depth, the space was painted in an ombre from grey to dark grey, while the dining area was finished with a matte, dark-toned lysine from floor to ceiling.
Pendant lights above the tables were newly designed by Tatsuki Nakamura to fit the space. The shades of the lightings were finished with the same lysine material to maintain a common tone and to exaggerate the contrast between the light and the ceiling.
The kitchen was mainly finished with stainless-steel, to create a brighter image and a space which functions like a stage in contrast to the black dining area.
Designer Koichi Futatsumata founded Case-Real in 2000. His company works on interior / architecture projects and performances.
