Chinese architecture and design firm Golucci International have completed a Shanghai hot pot restaurant inspired by Asia’s spa heritage.

Si-Pu Nabe, located in the Tianshan neighbourhood, has been designed as an intimate space where diners can choose either to reflect in isolation or socialise in a relaxed atmosphere.

To provide a platform for contemplation, the restaurant has no public areas and instead consists of 27 private dining rooms of various sizes in a disruption of the traditional layout of Shanghai eateries.

“We wanted to create small, exquisite and comfortable spaces, because the restaurant is for families and friends to get together, rather than for big groups and business banquets,” said design director Lee Hsuheng. “For that reason, we’ve designed two-people rooms for lovers, four-people rooms for friends and ten-people rooms for families.”

“When you take a glance from the entrance, you would probably think it is a spa rather than a restaurant,” he added. “In order to create a comfortable atmosphere to make the guest feel relaxed, the restaurant provides disposable slippers once they set foot inside the building, and we’ve installed a floor heating system to keep their feet warm.”

The semi-enclosed dining spaces are divided by screens of vertical, curving wood strips, intended to “create rhythm” in the interior spaces. Strip lights on the floor have been added, with a lighting design that evokes rising steam vapour.

“With this and the tree-like wooden components, the customers feel as if they are dining in a forest fairyland above the clouds,” said Lee.

Golucci International specialise in designing purposefully peaceful restaurants which challenge expectations. They have previously created the Diaoye Niunan restaurant in Beijing, in which diners appear to hover above the ground as they eat on narrow ‘floating’ platforms surrounded by fog and chalk-white tree sculptures.

Golucci International create 'floating' platforms for misty and mysterious Beijing eatery