Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar – Chicago, IL

Opened: 2011

With a target demographic of 25-40 year old professionals, Union Sushi has a decidedly youthful, urban neighborhood feel. It has undertones of a Japanese street vibe, but by all accounts is American. Enormous, raw concrete support columns and a small footprint with 30 foot ceilings provided challenges. A mezzanine was incorporated to increase the seating and take advantage of the high ceiling. We wrapped the central column with a high backed banquette, covered it in graffiti, and created an ethereal sculpture out of metal mesh. The nucleus of the menu and the restaurant design is a custom robata grill. It features its own seating and bar so guests can observe the luscious skewers of meat and vegetables roasting over fire. The hood above is “dressed” in a laser cut sheet metal featuring a Japanese water pattern.