Design firm Studio Yimu has completed Fuwa Fuwa Golden Square, a Japanese pancake cafe in Mississauga, Canada. The interior is organised around a single strong gesture: a high, curved ceiling painted bright yellow.
A yellow vault over the counter
As visitors enter, the soft curve of the ceiling frames a modern structure that looks a little like a temple. The service area sits inside it, so the counter becomes the focus of the room.
Light sources are kept out of sight. Lighting is hidden behind the sign, above the service area and along the walls, which lets the yellow surfaces glow without visible fittings.
Two kinds of seating
Each side of the cafe offers a different way to sit. One side is more casual, with wall-mounted tables and stools with a view of the service area.
The other side is calmer, with a long banquette set into an alcove and wood tables and chairs in front of it.
As a general point, offering two clearly different seating zones lets a small cafe serve both quick visits and longer stays without either group getting in the way of the other.
Project credits
- Project: Fuwa Fuwa Golden Square, Mississauga, Canada
- Design: Studio Yimu
- Cafe website: fuwafuwapancakes.com
- Photography: Scott Norsworthy
- Source: Contemporist