Space tourism informs design of Ichi Station sushi restaurant in Milan
CategoriesInterior Design

Space tourism informs design of Ichi Station sushi restaurant in Milan

Valencian design studio Masquespacio has completed a dine-in restaurant for takeaway sushi chain Ichi Station in Milan, with interiors designed to resemble a futuristic spaceship.

Set in a historic building in the Brera district, the chain’s latest outpost builds on the same travel and transport concept established across its other outlets – including eight in Milan and another in Turin.

View inside ICHI Station restaurant
Masquespacio has designed Ichi Station’s Brera outpost

But Masquespacio wanted to take this idea to the next level for the new restaurant by drawing on the visual language of sci-fi and space tourism.

“We proposed approaching the travel concept as a trip to the future,” said Masquespacio co-founder Christophe Penasse.

“When you enter Ichi, it’s like entering a capsule-like spaceship travelling through light, where you will disconnect from reality in order to get in touch with the food.”

Takeaway counter of sushi restaurant in Milan by Masquespacio
Customers can pick up orders at the takeaway counter

Masquespacio completely redeveloped the layout of the 80-square-metre site – previously another restaurant – creating a central dining area along with a tunnel where diners can observe some of the sushi-making process.

A pick-up bar close to the entrance was added to separate the circulation routes of take-away customers and diners.

Dining area of ICHI Station restaurant in Brera
The dining area is housed in a cylindrical tunnel

The tunnel motif was developed as a way to express the idea of travel and make a reference to Japan without falling into cliches.

“Some elements were incorporated to remind the customer of Japan, like the huge lighting circles, although we tried to avoid making typical references to Japan such as using wooden structures,” Penasse explained.

The tunnel motif also informed the circular and cylindrical details that pop up throughout the space across seat backs, bar stools and decorative elements such as the circular feature light in the main dining area.

“The shapes and forms give the project the futuristic look that it needed,” the designer said.

Counter seating in Milan restaurant by Masquespacio
Diners can also watch sushi being prepared at the counter

Masquespacio opted for a simple and restrained material palette that includes glass and micro-cement, which was used along with fully integrated tables and seating to create a seamless look reminiscent of a spaceship.

The restaurant’s custom-made furniture brings in another reference to transport design tropes. “You can recognise it as a reinterpretation of the seating in a station and especially on a train,” Penasse explained.

Dining booths in ICHI Station restaurant
LED light panels are integrated into the walls, ceilings and table tops

The interior is finished in neutral shades of beige and off-white but is cast in different vivid colours thanks to the LED lighting system that is integrated into the walls, ceilings and even the table tops.

The lights alternate between shades of blue, green, purple and peach at variable speeds and, according to Penasse, create a veritable “explosion of colour”.

Toilets of restaurant in Milan by Masquespacio
The toilets are finished in contrasting navy blue

Although based in Spain, Masquespacio has completed a number of projects in Italy in recent years.

Among them are two colour-block restaurants for fast-food chain Bun – a blue-and-green interior in Turin and a green-and-purple version in Milan.

The photography is by Luis Beltran.

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Three innovations for the future of travel and tourism
CategoriesSustainable News

Three innovations for the future of travel and tourism

Now is the time of year when many start thinking about our summer holidays. Travel has long been associated with escapism and disconnection as well as adventure and discovery. But, in 20 years’ time, as the world becomes more connected and crowded, how will holidaymakers find the respite they seek? And, just as importantly, how can we feed this human desire without damaging the planet – especially given that tourism-related transport alone is expected to account for 5.3 per cent of global CO2 emissions by 2030? To find out we asked some of the world’s leading futurists in our Future 2043 report.

For alternative futurist Gus Balbontin, in 2043: “We will need more and more true disconnection and it will get harder to come by,” while “fewer and fewer places on earth will feel truly like we are exploring foreign cultures.” At the same time, changes in pricing, access, and consumer decision-making will change how we travel and think about our impact. “Perhaps more people will decide to leave the Antarctic alone and experience it via a documentary or with a pair of VR goggles,” he speculates.

While, today, tourism is often associated with consumerism and environmentally damaging behaviour, will the tourists of the future be cut from the same cloth? Anne Skare Nielsen, co-founder of Universal Futurist thinks not. “While the tourist of 2023 was often the worst version of ourselves, travellers in 2043 will be idealists, less concerned with taking home a stone from a beach and more focused on giving back,” she argues, suggesting that, “we’ll go diving to not just enjoy the sights, but to restore a coral reef.”

Tourism is an important industry for many developing countries, so we can’t simply stop travelling altogether, and innovations in sustainable travel are therefore extremely important. Here are three of the best recently spotted by Springwise.

Photo source Commandwe on Unsplash

There is a now a new way to stay hydrated when visiting Venice’s historic streets and waterways. Visitors to the island can use a map and an app to find a fountain of fresh water near their location. Each fountain is unique and provides a glorious mix of design and location. The map encourages people to carry their own personal water bottles and forego the disposable plastic versions whenever possible. The Venice Tap Water website lists all currently available fountains within the city and on the surrounding islands. There are nearly 200 listed, making it often only a matter of a few steps to find safe drinking water. Water distribution company Veritas provides detailed water quality information for the area, alongside a map of public restrooms in the city. Read more

Photo source Tom Weatley on Unsplash

Rivers are some of the most idyllic, and valuable, natural environments on earth, and this beauty naturally attracts the attention of tourists. While river tourism bolsters local economies and creates an incentive to preserve natural waterways, traditional fossil fuel tourist vessels create emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollutants. Moreover, gas or oil leaks from motorboats and sailboats with engines can contaminate water. And from the tourists’ own point of view, the peace and tranquillity of a river scene is often soured by the noise and vibrations of a chugging engine. But what if there was a way to address these problems? Croatia has some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in Europe, and Croatian startup iCat has developed a solar-powered passenger catamaran that enables tourists, and others, to enjoy the scenery in a more sustainable way. Read more

Photo source Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Based in France, Murmuration is focused on sustainable tourism and has recently announced the launch of Flockeo – a community platform that allows travellers to choose sustainable destinations. The Flockeo platform is inspired by the European Commission’s ETIS indicator system, which assesses the sustainability of tourism destinations. By combining satellite and statistical data, Flockeo provides users with information on environmental, social, and economic indicators. This data can be used to evaluate the sustainability of a destination and make informed decisions about where to travel. Read more

Want to discover more about what the world will look like in 2043? Download our free Future 2043 report which draws on the insights of 20 of the world’s leading futurists. For more innovations, head to the Springwise Innovation Library.

Reference

Drinking fountain map of Venice encourages sustainable tourism
CategoriesSustainable News

Drinking fountain map of Venice encourages sustainable tourism

Spotted: There is a now a new way to stay hydrated when visiting Venice’s historic streets and waterways. Visitors to the island can use a map and an app to find a fountain of fresh water near their location. Each fountain is unique and provides a glorious mix of design and location. The map encourages people to carry their own personal water bottles and forego the disposable plastic versions whenever possible.

The Venice Tap Water website lists all currently available fountains within the city and on the surrounding islands. There are nearly 200 listed, making it often only a matter of a few steps to find safe drinking water. Water distribution company Veritas provides detailed water quality information for the area, alongside a map of public restrooms in the city.

As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Venice, like many other top sites, is struggling to find the right balance between preservation of the city and showcasing the beauty that makes it famous. From January 2023, the city will impose a tourist tax that requires visitors to book entry to the island and pay a fee ranging from €3 to €10.

Other innovations spotted by Springwise that are helping to improve the sustainability of global tourism include a satellite-powered platform that lists local ecosystem information and an eco-luxury hotel focused on minimising its carbon footprint.  

Written by: Keely Khoury

Email: info@venicetapwater.com

Website: venicetapwater.com

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