Crafting spaces

JAPANESE interior designer Norihiko Shinya is responsible for some of the coolest spaces in restaurants and hotels around the world, but that doen't mean he dines or stays in them all the time. "Personally, I love dining without having any concern about location. In Singapore, for example, I love eating Hainanese chicken rice and bak kut teh along the street," says Mr Shinya, vice-president of famed design firm Super Potato.

"However, the reality is that many foreigners stay within the hotel due to concerns about sanitation and the local language. As you can see, Grand Hyatt Singapore has Mezza9 and Straits Kitchen with a 'street food' concept in a five-star hotel. It goes without saying, a five-star hotel should have both great food and ambience," he adds. He designed Mezza9, as well as 10 Scotts at Grand Hyatt.

Mr Shinya's touch can also be seen in the form of a buffet restaurant, show kitchen and a highly successful Cafe Too design for The Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong, the bright and colourful Bacchanal restaurant in Caesars Palace, the dark and woody Azabu Shunju restaurant in Tokyo, and the interiors of Park Hyatt Busan.