From Ritual to Refinement: Hospitality Design Rooted in Culture

Culture Isn’t a Theme, it’s a Foundation

At Vie Studio, we design with intent, translating values, tradition, and story into spatial experience without losing nuance. Whether it’s a café inspired by comfort, a butcher shop grounded in provenance, or a retail concept shaped by culture, every project begins with the same question: how do we honour the brand’s spirit while designing for now?

1. Ritual as Spatial Rhythm

Project: The Naked Duck

The Naked Duck is more than a place to eat. It’s a refined rhythm of the everyday. Designed to shift from morning espresso to late afternoon cocktails, the space flows with soft textures, curved seating, and muted stone palettes.

Sculptural planters and warm brass details add depth without noise, echoing the brand’s layered food philosophy.

Design note: Ritual isn’t static. It evolves. Design should guide movement while inviting pause.

2. Refinement with an Urban Edge

Project: Sneaker Laundry

This hybrid retail-meets-café concept is built around culture and community. At Sneaker Laundry LAB, we mapped the anatomy of a sneaker onto the space—zones inspired by the UPPER, OUTSOLE, and LACES shape everything from flow to function.

Stainless steel, coloured acrylic, and digital displays frame the bold, street-meets-sleek aesthetic.

Design note: Good design can handle contrast—refinement doesn’t have to be quiet.

3. Storytelling Through Material Honesty

Project: Warabi Mochi Kamakura

With roots in Japanese dessert tradition, Warabi Mochi Kamakura deserved a space that felt as thoughtful as its product. We layered warm timber finishes, vertical textures, and soft lighting to evoke a gentle sense of presence.

The subtle detailing, such as red washi-inspired pendants and vertical slats, adds nuance without overt display. Every surface, from natural wood to muted stone, speaks to craft, care, and cultural resonance.

Design note: When finishes echo values, authenticity becomes palpable.

4. Redefining Refreshment

Project: Just Coconut

Inspired by the simplicity and purity of coconut-based drinks, Just Coconut is a space designed to feel like a sensory cleanse.

We used soft curves, pastel-toned timbers, and stone textures to create calm. Light ripples through the space, echoing the brand’s natural, wellness-forward ethos. It’s a moment of clarity, visually and spatially.

Design note: Culture doesn’t need to be loud to be understood. Sometimes it’s as simple as stillness.

Final Thought:

The most meaningful hospitality spaces don’t just serve; they resonate. At Vie Studio, we don’t decorate for culture—we design from it. Whether it’s the energy of a streetwear café or the quiet purpose of an ethical butcher, we create spaces that express identity through clarity, materiality, and emotion.

📩 Planning a culturally rooted hospitality concept?

Let’s shape it together with intention, integrity, and imagination.