We worked in close collaboration with Oonagh Ryan Architects on this award-winning design of this Japanese restaurant, situated on West Hollywood’s bustling main strip. The design blends the wabi-sabi sensibility of UCHI’s restaurants with elements that recall Los Angeles’ rich design legacy.

We were interested in creating a very tactile environment, so we developed custom concrete planters with a hand-trowelled texture and filled with contrasting lush green foliage—a nod to the exuberance of mid-century LA. These planters begin in the dining room and extend out onto the outdoor dining terrace, creating a unified flow between the spaces. A bespoke breezeblock railing gently curves around and embraces the dining terrace, while groups of clay pots, filled with colorful native plants, add texture and life to the setting.