MAN WAH
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
Set on the hotel’s 25th floor, Michelin-starred restaurant Man Wah retains its reputation as one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular dining spaces, now expressed through a refreshed aesthetic.
Silverfox Studios’ concept is both an interpretation and representation of the Hong Kong city skyline from this vantage point, coupled with references to the hotel’s unique heritage. The brief called for a contemporary, elegant fine dining outlet that reflects an evolution of the Man Wah experience while representing the history of the brand within the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
The entrance to the restaurant begins at the lift lobby, where the Silverfox Studios team has installed raised and fielded timber panels finished in a royal azure deep blue lacquer with brass inlay detail. The panelling incorporates both European and Chinese detailing that hark back to the history of the Mandarin Oriental Group.
As the guest enters the outlet, the panelling forms semi-private niches, wrapping up and over the tables to form ceilings and provide a sense of enclosure. The restaurant’s floorplan is divided into a series of platforms at differing levels, reinforcing this exclusive feel
At the rear of the restaurant, panelised screens close off two spaces from the remainder of the dining area to create enclosed private rooms for larger parties of up to 16 seats. These rooms are adjacent to the back-of-house kitchen for ease of discreet service.
Man Wah’s exceptional views over the cluttered urban cityscape were a key source of inspiration for the design team. The dense, high-rise tower window complexity and the resulting illuminated city panorama have been artfully incorporated into the interior design and detailing. As one moves closer to the windows and the views towards the city skyline and Victoria Harbor, the ceiling design transitions into a recessed grid fretwork that mimics the windowscape of the towers outside the hotel.
The carpet design is also inspired by this spectacular panorama. The texture and layering in the carpet, created by a mixture of silk and hand-carved patterning, displays the reflection of the water from the harbour, handwoven with layers of intricate blue and gold hues.
As a homage to the original Man Wah restaurant, Silverfox Studios has reinvented the decorative lanterns that hang from the ceiling panels. It was important for the hotel that the history of the original restaurant was developed and paid reference to, and so the lanterns’ detail within the panels, strong, deep, tonal hues and Chinese detail with patterning and embroidery, were chosen to represent this development and an expansion of the Man Wah name.
Despite extremely challenging circumstances amidst complications on-site and the logistical challenges of the pandemic, Silverfox Studios has delivered first-class venues befitting Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s stature and heritage. Each absorbs ideas within its own particular and delicately woven narrative, showing the inventive menus and beverage offerings at their very best.