Simple materials + clever layout overhaul = an incredibly hip New York-inspired deli.
The tight L-shaped space on Hong Kong’s hip Star Street used to house an L-shaped izakaya-type joint, and before that, an L-shaped pizza place. Now it is home to Morty’s Delicatessen – a fetching sports bar and deli specialising New York City fare. Clad in red tiles, Morty’s entices passersby with a bold street-facing kitchen window.
Morty’s is the latest in a series of collaborations between fashion designer entrepreneur Kevin Poon and interior design studio JJA / Bespoke Architecture, helmed by designer JJ Acuna. Both entrepreneur and designer were educated in the US and for this project, they drew inspiration from Manhattan’s local pubs and diners.
“The client had a tight budget and we had a very small space to work with. What’s more, it had two entry points, front and back,” says Acuna. He altered the original layout of the space to make it more breathable.
“We got rid of the L because it was just too awkward and instead made a rectangular bar-restaurant and moved the back of house kitchen front of house – where the short part of the L is. We give each programme, the front and the back-of-the-house, its own room to breathe,” he explains.
“Moving the kitchen to the front has made the the whole food preparation process a kind of theatre where passersby can appreciate and observe all that goes on in the process of creating a meal,” he adds. This design decision also effectively makes use of the back and front alleys. Crowds can spill out into both areas when it’s busy, creating a jovial and relaxed indoor-outdoor eating and drinking environment.
Working with the modest budget, the design team combined simple tile finishes and stainless steel surfaces to a great effect – the red gloss of the tiles catches one’s attention while the mirror effect of the stainless steel gives the linear ‘dining cabin’ an additional sense of levity. Everything in the project was created bespoke for the site, except the aluminium Prouve Chairs.
Asked if ‘theme’ is a dirty word in design, Acuna says: “I think the word ‘theme’ is dirty when the set-up is a literal cut and paste. I think our iteration of the concept is a remix or a play on a thematic concept.” He elaborates that in Morty’s case the interior takes a back seat to the customer’s experience.
He adds, “In the Hong Kong context, we hope it’s a greatly comfortable and casual urban atmosphere for all kinds of people to visit and enjoy a meat-filled meal and a sports event on the television – which is really the goal here, to create a no-frills, low-maintenance destination for people to enjoy simple food and beers with friends.”
Photography by Natasza Minasiewcz
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Found within the verdant landscape of Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Sona Reddy’s design for this authentic Andhra restaurant adeptly fuses textural rhythms with traditional materials.
The AIA Alta Wellness Haven offers the complete package for health and wellbeing away from the busy city life in Hong Kong and does it through a stellar interior design.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Welcome to the year of the Design Effect. This year’s theme aims to showcase the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. Join in shaping this narrative by contributing your perspective before May 3, 2024, and become a part of the Design Effect movement.
Simon Liley, Principal Sustainability Consultant at Cundall, writes about how cyberpunk dystopias haven’t (quite) come to pass yet – and how designers can avoid them.