Set in a traditional hutong courtyard, La Maison Xun is the newest restaurant from the founders of Michelin-starred Lao Ji Tang. Founder and chief designer of LDH Design Liu Daohua tells us more about the project

‘The core of La Maison Xun’s design lies in the experience of traditional aesthetics and in the careful interpretation of time,’ says Liu Daohua, founder and chief designer of Beijing studio LDH Design. ‘It allows you to feel the tranquillity of the city and the lively atmosphere of Beijing’s ancient hutongs.’

Lui says that the clients, who are the owners of Beijing Michelin-starred restaurant Lao Ji Tang, had high expectations for La Maison Xun’s design, and Liu prioritised maintaining a sense of history and tradition in the new space. ‘We deliberately avoided any complications and treated tradition and ancient charm with the idea of returning to nature by removing superficial decorations and restoring the building’s architectural structure and traces of history,’ Liu explains. ‘To achieve that, we maintained the centuries-old cultural attributes of the quadrangle courtyard without compromising the modern interior’s elegant aesthetic,’

Liu also drew on the clients’ memories for inspiration. ‘Our aim was to evoke the clients’ childhood and memories of their old homes,’ he says. ‘So we kept the design simple and respected the building’s original feel while incorporating modern materials to create a comfortable experience.’

The key materials are metal and glass, and they connect the interior with the courtyard and bring nature and natural light into the space. ‘We also tried our best to maintain and protect the wood structure and other materials of the original building and integrated them into the new modern design as traces of the past,’ Liu says.

‘Both the restaurant owners and I wanted to feature Chinese furniture and art in the interiors, so I chose works from local furniture brand Maxmarko by designer Derek Chen and other original pieces designed especially for the space,’ Liu says. ‘There’s also a figurine by artist Zhang Zhan Zhan, which brings a sense of eclecticism and modernity to the space’.

‘It’s common to see reinforced concrete structures in contemporary buildings, but historical ones are quite rare, which makes this quadrangle courtyard so distinctive,’ Liu continues. ‘The standalone courtyard and the unique historical memory carried by the building are definitely the biggest highlights of the project.’

Text / Nina Milhaud
Images / Wang Ting, SensoryDesign