Yum Cha District: Implementing a retro-modernistic layout
The layout of the Dhanmondi YCD outlet complements the restaurant’s Pan-Asian concept, which helps customers connect with the place
Launched last October, the new Dhanmondi outlet of Yum Cha District (YCD) pays homage to the essence of the restaurant that visitors have grown to love over the years, and it shines through every corner and element.
The restaurant chain made its name for not only the type of food or the flavour they offer, but also its wonderful ambience with a well-thought-out interior that draws people in. The new location of YCD is a breath of fresh air for city dwellers, and many have made it their favourite place to eat in a very short span of time.
The layout of this outlet finely complements the restaurant's Pan-Asian concept, which helps the customers to connect with the place. Furthermore, the retro-modernistic blend in the layout also caught my eye during a recent visit.
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The environment is not only aesthetically pleasing but also has a certain warmth to it that instils a homely ambience, making it a cosy place to spend time with friends and family.
Keeping the traditional YCD design alive
The design approach to a YCD outlet is influenced by two key elements. One is the site – the materials employed, the amount of daylight available, etc. – and another is continuing the traditions of the original branch.
"A lot of the design elements in the new Dhanmondi outlet are either straight from the original outlet (Banani, 2017) or have evolved with time and necessity. Simply put, we see the place and decide how much of our existing designs we can use and how much uniqueness has to be introduced," said Fahim Kader, co-founder and main ideator behind YCD.
After passing through the foyer, I immediately noticed rope-like curtains hanging from the ceiling. Well, the rope-based partitions are actually the most prominent and unique example of the unvarying designs of YCD.
They are a cost-effective way to let light and air pass while forming a useful wall that offers adequate privacy to the guests directly from the foyer, and it has been featured in every outlet so far.
YCD has their own customised metal chairs that resemble a Windsor chair, characterised by its spindled chair back, featuring different paints on them — red, black, white, and blue. The comfortable and colourful chairs add to the vibrant texture of the overall interior style.
Those chairs were originally made popular in Banani, and have not been changed in form, colour, or fabric till this day. The different shapes of the tables — rectangular and round — are also a clever addition that was helpful to avoid a monotonous decor pattern.
Fahim reminisces how, back in 2017, they had the idea of making tables that could be joined together and taken apart to accommodate guests as needed. However, to maintain optimum capacity, they had to join many of those tables permanently. Today, both the Dhanmondi and Gulshan outlets still have tables that look like they have been joined together — as a throwback to the original concept.
"I loved what we had done but knew that certain improvements needed to be made for the convenience of our staff. The tables in Dhanmondi are by far the most satisfying to me," added Fahim.
Also, considering that YCD is a family-friendly company, he had always wanted a long family table. The opening of the new location gave him the chance to ultimately do so by adding a 10-feet table to the mix.
Lighting that complements the colour palette
In narrating the importance of light in his life, Fahim said, "I am a former filmmaker, I would literally write cinematography into my screenplays. I lit the outlets as I did a movie set."
One can take a very well-lit picture of their companion across the table by sitting in any chair and at any table. Fahim says, "we do not design 'corners' for photographs, instead we focus on 'spaces' to culminate the guest's overall sensory experience."
Numerous lamps have been mounted between the shoulder and head level to provide soothing light and accomplish the aforementioned setting. Fahim had a lot of fun experimenting with this at home and was confident it would also play well at a restaurant. Most of the hanging fixtures are also part of the YCD heritage.
Earthy hues have been applied at the Dhanmondi branch, depending on textures to enhance the look where necessary. As the restaurant is on the fourth floor, there is a significant amount of natural light flowing in through the full-length glass walls.
Therefore, the space has been outlined to let that beautiful light pass through to reach every nook and cranny of the dining space. It feels great to bask in the natural daylight while enjoying the food.
The waiting room's green accent wall does an excellent job of capturing both the softness of the interior lighting at night and the levity of the atmosphere throughout the day.
"We have always sought high ceilings. Instead of lowering the height by installing false ceilings, we just put our paint of choice over everything - faults, pipes, wires, etc. — using a glossy paint of course renders the space bigger," Fahim explained.
The building's light grey matte floor tiles have not been changed. Only the reception area received extra care. Bricks, cement, and wood make up the reception area. The reception area's painting by renowned artist Nusrat Jahan Nazlee adheres closely to the restaurant's colour scheme.
The balcony on the opposite side is covered in lush greenery complementing the earthy hues inside. This area features a big cement tub with a live plant inside that is topped with tiny, nearly monochromatic stones. Stones and wood are also used in the reception area to visually connect it with the lovely garden.
Features that make the space exceptional
Fahim, a parent himself, felt the need of installing diaper-changing stations in both the female and male washrooms this time. YCD was the first restaurant to install one, in the previous Dhanmondi outlet, and this is just one of those things that further stimulates the idea of a family-friendly restaurant. On that note, the restaurant also has no smoking area.
Fahim further illustrated, "We took the most obvious spot for smokers, the veranda, and turned it into a little, serene garden where we harvest a handful of our ingredients, with a beautiful Bucida tree in the middle surrounded by mosquito-repelling plants and actual grass."
Although the ornamental plants and their vases on the wall appear to be arranged arbitrarily, there is actually a deliberate pattern there, with the frames surrounding the vases serving as the finishing touch.
The windows have been outfitted with sweeping, translucent curtains to help the surrounding spaces complement the magical blend of natural daylight and greenery. Similar to the lights, the idea of the fireplace is something Fahim picked from his house, but here it is bigger and much more ornate.
The artificial "fire" blends in seamlessly with the bricks, wood, steel, and concrete, while the large mirror on top significantly increases the sense of light and spaciousness.
I wasn't bored while waiting for a friend sitting in the restaurant. The details and elements used in this space are quite intriguing and I was having my time discovering and interpreting each of them.
According to Fahim, the Dhanmondi outlet is like an airy penthouse. Here approximately 75 people can be accommodated at once.
All construction work was overseen internally by the YCD employees themselves — Fahd Bin Ramiz, co-managing partner and co-founder, Adnan Khan partner, and Fahim. "Sourcing materials, carrying sand, hammering away at walls — we love to do things ourselves," Fahim added.
Setting an environment-friendly example
Fahim emphasised on how his company strives to be as socially responsible as possible.
Contrary to contemporary interior design trends, ceiling fans are installed in YCD to reduce the load on the air conditioners. The lights used in the outlets also require relatively little electricity.
The kitchen's thermal displacement ventilation system has also been carefully planned out and implemented to minimise heat and energy consumption. Additionally, YCD avoids placing huge hoardings that add to "visual" pollution.
