Brooklyn based design and architecture firm CRÈME has expanded their portfolio of projects in Japan to include Scarpetta’s newest location in Tokyo. CRÈME’s understated, yet refined approach for LDV Hospitality’s latest concept, Scarpetta Tokyo, creates a welcoming environment by layering organic elements that capture the essence of Japan’s love of nature. The restaurant’s ambiance of effortless elegance connects it back to its New York location.
“We are so excited to bring a global perspective to Scarpetta, connecting the brand’s New York City DNA with its latest home in Tokyo, and to capture the synergy of two places we also call home,” said CRÈME Principal Jun Aizaki.
The design firm created a space that was expansive and intimate at the same time, with its open concept and 16-ft.-high ceilings. It’s filled with seasonal flowers and plants that emphasize the cherry blossom motif, a symbol of Japanese culture. The various flowers, plants, and trees carry through the reoccurring arch shapes of the foyer, bar and partitions, reinforcing the concept of seasonality. Maintaining the moody, convivial feel of its New York roots, the design team incorporates a variety of seating arrangements including cozy booths and elevated bar stools accented by various forms of architectural lighting such as pendants, sconces, and task lamps, custom made to appear as if they’ve been there for years.
There are two private dining rooms and a large main dining room that opens to an outdoor terrace, also surrounded by greenery. Punctuating the main dining room is a painting by artist Yael Caffrey that blends earthy tones with expressive brush strokes to create a sensory effect. Accentuating the verticality of the space, the design team incorporates a two-tiered ceiling along with decorative flutes and scallops within the walls and columns; maintaining a sense of human scale and touch, they layered materials that feel organic and warm, including dark woods paired with patterns and colors inspired by the seasonal changes in Japanese flora. Opening the space, CRÈME integrates three expansive mirrors in four tinted colors with a modern stained-glass motif.
CRÈME celebrates the restaurant’s streetscape location by strategically locating the bar within a corner surrounded by a floor to ceiling glass facade. Dividing the main restaurant from the bar, an open archway and ribbed glass wall create a dramatic street view for patrons and passersby.
“We love that people can feel the atmosphere and vibe of the space before they even step inside” said Kohji Kawabata, design director of CRÈME.
