Nature-inspired architecture has been around for centuries, but a new restaurant concept incorporates the theme to its very core. Designed by Thilina Liyanage, who often creates architectural visualizations and mock-ups, the Nelumbo Restaurant concept unfolds like a blooming lotus flower.
The floating restaurant gracefully merges architecture and nature through its floral conceit. Composed of three distinct levels, the restaurant is crowned with a canvas roof that fans out delicate petals, serving as an elegant, lightweight, and weather-resistant covering.
The restaurant itself is composed of bamboo, a renewable material renowned for its natural strength and flexibility. Paired with its organic forms, Nelumbo’s bamboo structure offers further proof of its sustainable and naturalistic design.
Beyond being architecturally innovative, Nelumbo is intended to be a multifaceted dining experience. Nelumbo’s first level serves as the main restaurant, while the second features a bar, perfect for cocktails and socializing. The restaurant’s top floor houses a relaxing coffee shop, topped with a glass dome skylight.
The restaurant’s visual allure, however, becomes most apparent in the evening. With its interior fully illuminated, the restaurant casts a subtle glow across the water. The resulting reflection effectively blurs the boundaries between the built and natural environment, strengthening the lotus imagery that originally inspired Liyanage’s concept.
“Nelumbo aims to create a harmonious blend of innovative architecture, sustainable materials, and diverse dining options, all while offering patrons a unique experience that connects them with the natural beauty of its waterfront setting,” Liyanage explains.
Liyanage used the 3D model and visuals programs Sketchup and Vray 6 to create his Nelumbo renders. To discover more of his exciting projects, visit Liyanage’s Behance profile.
Nelumbo Restaurant, an architectural visualization by Thilina Liyanage, unfolds like a blooming lotus flower.
The restaurant is a multi-level culinary experience with three floors, each dedicated to a different mood and atmosphere.
Nelumbo Restaurant becomes even more stunning at night, with its interior lights casting a soft glow across the surrounding water.
Liyanage has created many different concepts inspired by nature, including an elephant-shaped safari villa, a jellyfish restaurant, and a swan meditation pod.
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