A small-scale immersive hospitality design
DESIGN CONCEPT
Baroo is a fermented fusion dining restaurant with accommodation, with the goal of taking care of a healthy life by consuming food that is made of time, sincerity, and communion with nature, with local fresh seasonal food. Through providing local fresh ingredients cooked with healthy fermented food, nature-hugged accommodation with a sense of Korean traditional culture, and knowing how to take your time slowly to rejuvenate, Baroo helps people who are willing to work-life balance to find out what true wellness Is.
design story
The main concept of Chef Uh-gwang's cuisine is fusion food that combines local fresh seasonal food and traditional Korean fermented food which is a food made by waiting for a long time and communing with nature. Based on the concept of Korean temple food he learned in Korea, you can taste the authentic food created by nature. Moreover, you will experience what true wellness is through the accommodation, which combines the traditional Korean atmosphere with the atmosphere of Ojai surrounded by California's nature in the hotel. Instead of just grabbing a bite of a meal in the busy modern society, you will be able to feel true wellness by experiencing fusion food that combines fermented food, which is a food made of time, sincerity, and communion with nature with local fresh seasonal food.
CHEF
Uh-kwang
By learning about temple food, he dreams of informal dining that anyone can enjoy equally without any class of restaurant or food. His dishes recreate the exquisite taste of fermented foods with fresh ingredients. “I want to cook for the guests who visit my small restaurant with a heart of respect, gratitude, and love for all things related to the food that is served here, where nature shows unconditional mercy," says Kwang UH.
site_OJAI
1180 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA | 135ft x 250ft
Ojai, which is very quiet and relaxed around the mountains, matches well with the concept of the restaurant which is serving fusion food, in which healthy fermented food is used. Also in Ojai, there is a farmers' market, so it is easy to get the seasonal vegetables and ingredients grown locally.
form language
To clarify the concept of form language, akin to how fermented food depends on factors like time, temperature, and the surrounding environment, my intention is to emphasize the importance of embracing a leisurely pace as a crucial element of well-being.
Similar to how we can discern the passage of time through the subtle, gradual shifts in intervals when moving laterally, this principle has been integrated into the design of both the roof and walls. The central area, where time appears to come to a halt, serves as the dining space where individuals can relish their own cherished moments.
Material strategy
A space with a complex feeling will arouse your curiosity (intrigued) when faced with the sensual space of Baroo, which expresses the traditional structure of Korea with materials that feel the earthy nature of Ojai, California. Breathable materials evoke a feeling of being well-assimilated into nature like fermented foods that are well-made when time, land, temperature, and natural surroundings are harmonious perfectly.
facade
As soon as you step into Baroo, its unique exterior would be catchy. As the oriental feel and the modern feel are combined, the exterior harmonizes with the surrounding natural scenery will make you curicus about the menu in the restaurant.
1 valet
2 lobby
3 dining room
4 courtyard
5 micro-farm
6 hallway
7 guest room
8 sky garden
floor plan
fixtures & place setting
Public area
entrance
When you pass through the rustic and unique entrance, you would be able to indirectly experience the nature of Ojai indoars through the blowing cloth by the wind coming through the porous wall, and you would feel welcomed pleasantly.
lobby
The lobby with a direct courtyard view surrounded by natural landscape would make you want to stay for a while. A bench designed to be closest to the floor would give you an indirect feel of Oiai’s natural soil.
dining
As you enter the dining area past the lobby, a courtyard with a mountain backdrop catches your eye. Also, this space with an exotic atmosphere would make you expect more of the fusion food served in the restaurant.
Courtyard & Micro Farm
When you enter the space facing the other side of the lobby, you would feel independent while at the same time being one with nature. Watching the local ingredients grow on both sides in this independent space, you would be ready to enjoy the food.
SKY GARDEN
There are gardens on the first and second floors. On the first floor, the courtyard communicates with the nature that remains on the ground, and on the second floor, you can focus on the natural scenery that forms the mountain.
Guest room
Floor plan, sections with materials & Fixtures
guest room
As soon as you enter, the translucent partition of glass covers your view, giving you the curiosity of space beyond. In addition, partitions sequentially arranged to the end of the space are designed to feel the passage of time.
