In the centre of Białystok, Poland, Moon Loong – An Aesthetic Sushi Bar reinterprets the Japanese restaurant as a place of tranquillity and understated elegance. Designed by BOHE Architektura, led by Anna Skowrońska, the project transforms a 98-square-metre space into an intimate setting where light, materials and proportions create an atmosphere intended to complement the ritual of sushi dining through an understated, contemporary design language. The interior is organised around a carefully balanced interplay of solid and open elements, surfaces and transparency. Light-coloured wood dominates the composition, complemented by a palette of soft tones – mint green, grey and beige – and the velvety textures of the seating, which introduce a sense of comfort without compromising the overall restraint. Every element contributes to a relaxed atmosphere, with the design avoiding theatrical effects in favour of visual continuity and sensory quality. One of the central themes of the project is the relationship with light. Timber structures inspired by traditional Japanese shoji screens filter natural daylight and define the different areas without creating rigid separations, establishing a sequence of spaces that remain visually connected. Large glazed openings further enhance this relationship, opening the interiors towards the surrounding landscape and reinforcing the sense of continuity between architecture and context.
The project reinterprets some of the fundamental spatial principles of Japanese aesthetics, including lightness, balance and attention to sensory perception. Materials therefore become a subtle design tool that enhances the guest experience, helping to create an environment in which every detail contributes to a shared sense of harmony. The selection of ceramic surfaces, used for both flooring and wall coverings, forms an integral part of this pursuit of balance. Rather than serving a purely decorative purpose, they help establish material continuity throughout the interior, interacting with the wood, natural light and neutral tones that characterise the entire project.
For Moon Loong, the designers selected Masterpiece, the porcelain stoneware collection by Lea Ceramiche designed by Ferruccio Laviani. Conceived as a system of complementary surfaces, the collection combines inspiration from contemporary concrete with traditional Venetian terrazzo, offering a range of colours, textures and decorative elements designed to create coordinated surfaces and cohesive material compositions. The Polish sushi bar features the Piece Alpi variant in the 60 × 60 cm format, paired with the Master White surface. The subtle texture and soft, diffused brightness of the ceramic surfaces enhance the natural light and complement the wooden furnishings, reinforcing the balance between materials, architecture and atmosphere that lies at the heart of the entire project.
