Historically, human actions have been centred on catering to our own species. We wanted the design of this contemporary restaurant to represent Lyst’s food concept and support the idea of interconnectivity. Rethinking and refining this process results in an unexpected aesthetic. By emphasising the simple ways materials are combined and by reducing complexity, the production process becomes transparent. We sought the parallel tracks between cooking and design, and how to process materials such that the design would become tangible. High-quality ingredients and simple recipes can deliver extraordinary results. The aim of the design of Lyst was to develop a language that corresponds with what unfolds in the restaurant’s kitchen – to transfer into the design process the way raw materials are used in the kitchen. Through several interdisciplinary workshops with Morten Kirk Johansen along with chef Daniel McBurnie and his dedicated kitchen team, SOS formulated a design language based on basic materials and production methods, and the way cooking with simple ingredients can achieve unique results. We developed the space, furniture, lighting, and eating utensils to emphasise the relationship between the fjord, the building, the food, and the people using the space. For Lyst, the architecture of the building acted as a catalyst of the cuisine, and the food, in turn, inspired the design of the restaurant. The fjord flows directly through the building the wind, water, harbour, land, and changing weather are constantly present. Fjordenhus, designed by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann, opened in 2018 and was inspired by the immediate surroundings of Vejle, which gave shape to the building. It was founded by Morten Kirk Johansen and has been developed in close collaboration with Studio Other Spaces. The restaurant Lyst is situated in the iconic Fjordenhus building in Vejle, Denmark.

Elemental studio percussion