Soom

Soom is a Korean barbecue restaurant on St Martin's Lane, arranged across a ground floor and basement. Its name means 'breath' in Korean, and the design brief sought a calmer setting for cooking and eating together.

The ground floor centres on a communal table beneath a lighting installation based on the roof structure of a hanok, a traditional Korean house. Mother-of-pearl work and a large circular ritual gong draw on Korean craft and culture. An arched installation takes its geometry from the windows of St Martin's Lane.

The rear of the ground floor draws on sanmaek, the ridgelines of Korean mountains. The sequence continues through a private dining room and a lit corridor to the main basement dining room.

In the basement dining room, a continuous surface treatment extends across the walls and floor. The ceiling texture evokes moving water, accompanied by restrained timber detailing.