Le Coq Wine & Bistro is a restaurant is based in Xian, the old capital city of China, where the Chinese culture is present at every corner. The restaurant is located on the rooftop of a hotel building and is composed of three storeys.

The concept of the project comes from studying the architecture of the typical Chinese house in Xian. They are composed of three layers: a stone base, the core of the house and a curve roof ceiling. The three storied restaurant represents those three layers. The separate coffee, dining and bar areas are separated vertically, given a dedicated level which patrons pass through successively.

The stone base and first storey is the starting point of the customer journey. For this space, the design team playfully incorporated recycled materials to create depth and visual interest, with hanging glass bricks, wood bricks, terracotta tiles create a diverse material palette. A staircase is hidden inside the bar’s shelves and brings a feeling of exclusivity and secrecy.

The second storey and core of the building houses the kitchen and majority of the dining spaces. This space lacked direct light so was opened visually to create a greater sense of flow and openness. Once in the helicoidal staircase up to the top floor, guests can look through the glass partition into the built-in meat fridge and the wine cellar on a mezzanine level.

The bar is located on the final storey in the building’s roof. In China, the beams supporting the roof don’t meet walls, this was replicated for the restaurant, by bringing wood beams inside the space below the roof. However, where the beams are reminiscent of conventional Chinese architecture, their random order creates a contemporary edge and sense of movement for an upwards aspect: As the wood beams get closer to the central bar, they start to get thinner and begin to compose the bar shelves. As a result, wine bottles and glasses appear to hang suspended in the air.

Lighting: Architecture lighting, Table lamp customised by RooMoo.

Photography: Wen Studio.