JIJA by Vicky Lau
Completion Year
2025
Location
Kimpton, Tsim Sha Tsui
1300 sqft
Size
JIJA by Vicky Lau presents a contemporary Chinese dining destination shaped by a relaxed bistro sensibility, bringing together expressive materials, sculptural lighting, and subtle nods to the heritage of Yunnan.
The layout is carefully arranged through varying floor levels that subtly section the dining areas while maintaining openness. Those subtle shifts in level create pockets for different dining moods, from quieter corners for tea to more animated tables closer to the windows. This arrangement frames views through expansive windows and creates a sense of intimacy across the restaurant. A custom tea brewing table anchors one corner, celebrating the ritual of Chinese tea preparation and offering guests a closer connection to this cultural tradition.
Guests arrive through a distinctive entrance wall clad in textured silver and accented with Yunnan blue tones. The façade continues the Yunnan reference with a patchwork composition, layered with a galore of silverware that builds a sense of craft at the threshold.
From the first glimpse of Yunnan blue at the entry, a ribbon of timber flooring sets a clear direction, leading guests deeper into the restaurant as one continuous route. Forming a gentle, guided gesture underfoot, it references Yunnan’s landscape through forms reminiscent of rolling hills, terraced rice paddies, and winding rivers. Overhead, a canopy of delicate bird-shaped lights animates the ceiling of the dining room, referencing the name JIJA, inspired by the cheerful chatter of birds and the lively spirit of shared conversation.
A rich palette of dark wood is contrasted with touches of silver, creating depth and a gentle visual tension. Across walls, façade details, and lighting, silver behaves almost like a changing surface that catches daylight by day and warms under lamplight at night. Bespoke dome-shaped fixtures in silver hang above, their hand-painted interiors casting softly diffused light while acting as sculptural focal points within the dining areas.
Influences from the region appear throughout the interior, where walls are clad in textiles featuring blue tribal patterns inspired by traditional Yunnan fabrics, introducing warmth, texture, and a strong sense of identity to the dining home. This connection to landscape is also reflected in the marble dining tables, whose natural veining recalls the contours and dramatic scenery of Yunnan’s mountains, rivers, and terraced fields, allowing each table to carry its own distinct character.
From the first glimpse of Yunnan blue at the entry, a ribbon of timber flooring sets a clear direction, leading guests deeper into the restaurant as one continuous route. Forming a gentle, guided gesture underfoot, it references Yunnan’s landscape through forms reminiscent of rolling hills, terraced rice paddies, and winding rivers. Overhead, a canopy of delicate bird-shaped lights animates the ceiling of the dining room, referencing the name JIJA, inspired by the cheerful chatter of birds and the lively spirit of shared conversation.
