Recently, I’ve been in more than a few restaurants where I thought ‘This would be great, if only I could hear more of my friend and less of the combined room’s conversations. Food’s great, con’t hear. Damn.’ And all that’s really necessary for those restaurants to obtain in order to procure a pleasant dining experience, are a few acoustical pads or hangers. The problem there is that acoustical pads/hangers are rarely aesthetically appealing. Have you ever been in a high school band practice room?
photography by © Sharrin Rees
Koichi Takada Architects have designed a restaurant- the Cave Restaurant- with the acoustics built in. Timber ribs march at regular intervals down the length of the space, absorbing sound and promoting a subtle din of dining noises, as well as acting to divide individual seatings into their own acoustical zones.
Each rib is CNC milled from computer-generated 3D data. And I gotta say, I think I would feel quite comfortable- not physically, but sort of.. universally- eating dinner in a place that resembled, from an entering perspective, the inside of a mouth.
Courtesy of Koichi Takada Architects
Matt Davis is a Virginia Tech graduate and one of the founding editors behind Arch2O. Launching the platform in mid‑2012 alongside fellow Hokies, he helped shape its identity as an international hub for design innovation and critical dialogue . With a foundation in architectural education and a passion for uncovering unconventional design approaches, Matt has contributed significantly—both editorially and strategically—to Arch2O’s growth, ensuring that emerging architects, academics, and creatives have a space to question, explore, and elevate the built environment.