A newly-opened sushi restaurant invites customers to travel through light, orange colors and geometric patterns, developed for a sushi take away chain Ichi Station.

The new sushi restaurant, designed by Valencia-based interior design studio Masquespacio, brings the combination of eclectic flavors with a spaceship of the future designed for the dining area.

The interior of the restaurant, which is decorated with futuristic details, creates the feeling of being in a space movie with its rounded-panels illuminated with orange color, undulating lights covered to reveal the presence of some units, and the dining tables designed in a rigid geometry.

Situated in Milan, Italy, Masquespacio aimed to transform the brand's identity to another level, which was previously developed for Ichi’s spaces inspired by "a travel and a station".

The Masquespacio team aimed to maintain the main principles of the concept, while getting away from literal and traditional travel representations. For this, the Spanish design studio proposed a travel to the future through light. 

According to the studio, travel had to be more innovative and futuristic, which should become more fluid with the use of materials.

"With this more futuristic look we had the opportunity to represent the innovative sushi that is showcased on Ichi’s full of flavors and colors menu, developed by Yango, in collaboration with chef Haruo Ichikawa," said Masquespacio’s creative director Ana Hernández. 

"Previously Ichi’s founder Yango Zhang developed already a few spaces for his sushi take away chain, although with this new opening he wanted to give major importance to the dine-in experience," said the studio.

The project is located in a building from the beginning of the past century in an historical street of Milan. The previous design intervention seemed to represent arches and vaults, very adapted to the style of the time the building was constructed. 

However, the studio decided to get away from those traditional elements, converting the space in a contemporary concept and our own capsule to travel into time.

The design of Ichi Station is inspired by the 90s and represents a travel through light that transports customers to know it's different and eclectic flavors, while dining in a space ship of the future. 

As common in all Masquespacio’s projects, the studio has added personal touches to generate a personalized identity with custom-made furniture. 

Key features to be highlighted in the interior are the glass tables with lighting inside that help customers to have a unique dining experience. 

Inside, the material selection is based on the use of simple and pure materials, such as microcement and glass. 

The reason of this design approach is to create more homogeneous surfaces that make customers feel like in the space ship.

"The most standing out element is although visible at the second part of the restaurant, where the ceiling has been lowered at the maximum possible level and where a half sphere makes you enter a tunnel to the future in which you can see a live performance of Ichi’s sushi chefs," said the studio. 

Another key feature is the use of an indirect led lighting system with RGB colors that could transform the atmosphere depending on the time of the day.

Floor plan

Masquespacio is an award-winning creative consultancy founded in 2010 by Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse. 

Previously, the studio designed The Barcelona Club, featuring a green-colored gigantic castle, a whale-formed car and artful furniture pieces are scattered randomly in a club in Barcelona.

Project facts

Project name: Ichi Station Milan 

Architects: Masquespacio  

Location: Milan, Italy

Surface: 80 m2 

Opening: December 2022

Construction Manager: Luca Gobbo

All images © Luis Beltran.

All drawings © Masquespacio.

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glass Masquespacio microcement restaurant