We had never before heard of Shanghai burger joint Rachel's, but they have some nice new (and on trend!) digs courtesy of Chinese firm Neri & Hu Design and Research Office. The team at Neri & Hu gave the restaurant, which occupies a site in Shanghai's former French Concession, a retro look inspired by 1950s American diners. But edgy contemporary touches abound, too: The (very much in-vogue) hand-painted tumbling block tiles don't appear in natural hues we've seen in other burger bistros; instead, they're a muted white, black, and gray.
Inside, mirrored panels help give the compact structure a bit of visual lift, creating an illusion of more space than there is on hand. For an added sense of airiness, the pavilion's glass walls and be totally folded up, accordion-style, to open the dining area up to the outside. Visitors can dig into their burgers at stainless-steel counters accompanied by swiveling walnut barstools, custom work by Neri & Hu's design team. The team also created custom lighting for this Rachel's outpost.
And speaking of lighting, it's not entirely clear why there's a neon sign that looks suspiciously like the Shake Shack logo hanging here, but it's certainly not out of place.
∙ Neri&Hu bases Shanghai burger restaurant on 1950s diners [Dezeen]
∙ Neon, Gradients, and Cacti: Paris Cafe Isn't Your Father's Burger Chain [Curbed]