yinjispace

INTERIOR
Chen Hai Studio
PHOTOGRAPHY
Zhang Xiaoming
EDITOR
Gina
Collection

"Revlon" (Lùhuánóng) originates from Li Bai's renowned verse: "The spring breeze caresses the railing, heavy with pearly dew" (Chūnfēng fú kǎn lùhuánóng). In that era of multifaceted splendor, nourished by a golden age, all things flourished abundantly. Amid worldly riches and transcendent grace, secular joy and spiritual elevation coexisted, while a fragile yet acutely perceptive awareness seemed ever-present. — much like the essence captured by "Revlon." This spatial design seeks to embody that very sensation— a restrained opulence and ethereal radiance.

This restaurant renovation project is located in the ancient city of Xi’an, transforming a decade-old faux-vintage shop. The interior features traditional *dougong* brackets, wooden lattice screens, white marble balustrades, and more. The patina on these elements bears the marks of time and is imbued with the memories and emotions of longtime patrons. Such sentiments must be preserved. Thus, we introduced only *one* new form into the space, using the collision of old and new to create a unique and more compelling expression.

We chose starkly modern materials to construct expansive new walls, enclosing scattered seating areas into multiple private rooms. High-saturation iridescent metal panels shimmer like Tang tri-colored glazed pottery. Large sheets are joined at shifting angles, their surfaces shifting between shadow and light, rising and falling like fragments of a dream. This bold, almost invasive intervention creates a sense of rupture—akin to a structural reimagining of the High Tang’s grandeur, where classical spirits are reborn in a cyber vessel. Its phantasmal hues sing an ode to the resplendent beauty of that era.

The private rooms form an L-shaped cluster at the core, separated from the largely preserved booth area by a narrow corridor. At the corridor’s end, a once-enclosed terrace now opens brightly, drawing visitors toward the light. Upon reaching the light, double doors at the terrace momentarily pause one’s steps, while the lively scene beyond the right corridor beckons. Preserved on one side of the roasting oven is the original red-brick arched alcove; on the other, new blue-glazed tiles rise floor-to-ceiling. A decade of fiery grill marks meets the fresh luster of Tang-style glazes, fusing clamor with calm, earthly smoke with splendor.

The kitchen behind the duck oven was relocated further right, freeing up three sides around the oven. This created an open yet naturally partitioned seating area. Passersby gazing up from the street through large windows now witness animated dining scenes instead of cluttered storage.

If time did not vanish so swiftly, if objects were not so easily discarded, spaces would hold layered stories—a testament to endurance. From the entrance, the original dismantled signboard was repurposed for the new facade. Yet the once-solid wall now opens, offering a glimpse of the unfolding narrative within. An angular metal structure crowned with glass stands prominently. To its left, vintage-style wooden pillars, signboards, and carved partitions remain intact. New black-iron screens were inserted, transforming the original open circular dining booths into more intimate square-shaped seating areas.

The intricate faux-antique wooden ceiling was stripped back to its uppermost triangular frame, heightening the space while receding into shadow. At the far end of the L-shaped corridor, the cashier area retains the old shop’s form, though its former decorative wall cabinets now function as a practical bar. Bathed in warm orange backlighting, the display radiates abundance, echoing the signboard’s benediction: “Long Life and Bountiful Harvests.”

These preserved elements become the profound anchor of the narrative. Thus, the space’s story unfolds with continuity and purpose, while the newly introduced low-light/high-chroma elements seem suspended—opulence restrained, dazzling yet solemn, like “pearly dew heavy on petals.”

The restrained opulence extends and culminates on the terrace. Iridescent metal panels, cut into fluid shapes, form an outdoor colonnade encircling a central pool. The water reflects shimmering light and the quiet rhythm of honest meals through the seasons.

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