Chubby Girl Noodle Bar TKL

Inspired by photographers Tim Franco and Nadav Kander, the new eatery takes on an industrial aesthetic that reflects the verticality and speed of today’s cities

Just like Beijing’s buildings rising to the clouds and casting images on the Yangtze River, the grid of pillars that organizes the noodle bar – with their orthogonal mosaic of small white tiles – is reflected in the large hovering tables, which are translucent fiberglass slabs, as well as in the satin-mirror walls. This, together with the metal finishes and the tube lights hung in perpendicular arrangements in no apparent order, produces an effect of continuous movement.

The shopfront is lined with soft inflated tarp puffs. This subtle quirkiness, in accord with the Chubby Girl identity, provides a cushion for diners to lean on; a strategy addressing the long queues that have become synonymous with the brand. Inside the restaurant, these puffs held together by scaffolding demarcate the workspaces between the kitchen and the customers. Storage cabinets are turned 90 degrees, forming recessed spaces where staff can work unhindered by customer traffic.