- Project: Shanghai Zi Fu Hui
- Architect: LDH Architectural Design
- Location: China, Shanghai Plaza, Huangpu Distrit, Shanghai
- Area: 930 m2
- Photography: Wang Ting
A Restaurant Where Architecture Becomes Experience
At the heart of Shanghai Plaza, designer Liu Daohua envisioned Zi Fu Hui as more than a restaurant—it is an immersive cultural statement. Applying his signature philosophy of “architectural thinking”, Liu fuses material, light, and form to create a space where dining becomes ritual and environment becomes narrative.
In a city known as the crossroads of East and West, Zi Fu Hui embodies Shanghai’s role as a cultural trendsetter. Here, international aesthetics are infused with oriental poetics, producing an atmosphere that is both fashion-forward and deeply rooted in tradition.
The Meaning Behind Zi Fu Hui
The restaurant’s name reflects its layered identity. “Zi” derives from the given name of the owner, Zhou Zi Yang, also known as the “Gent Chef.” “Fu” translates as blessing, while “Hui” means wisdom—together symbolizing good fortune, refinement, and cultural depth. Zi Fu Hui is not just a culinary destination but a philosophy: an encounter of elegance, tradition, and innovation.
Entrance and First Impressions
Arrival at Zi Fu Hui is marked by a ritualistic entry sequence. A symbolic hitching post greets visitors, recalling ancient customs of welcoming guests and offering protection. This gesture slows the pace, inviting diners to shed the city’s rush and prepare for a contemplative experience.
Inside, the mood is quiet yet powerful, with subdued lighting shaping shadow and depth. Strong red accents punctuate the otherwise muted palette, offering warmth, contrast, and cultural symbolism while engaging guests with dramatic spatial dialogues.
Architectural Thinking in Interior Design
Liu Daohua approaches interiors as if they were architecture. Geometric lines intersect throughout the restaurant, binding spaces together with rhythm and clarity. Reinforced concrete, plain cement, and rigid materials anchor the design with masculine strength, while moments of delicacy—filtered daylight, translucent curtain walls, and reflective art—balance the composition.
“I like what is brought by natural light,” Liu notes. His design strategy imitates the effects of daylight in architecture, ensuring every shift of sunlight redefines the atmosphere, offering diners a constantly evolving spatial experience.
Materiality, Art, and Atmosphere
The use of glass curtain walls merges the interior with Shanghai’s skyline, allowing light and views to weave into the dining experience. At night, the building glows like a lantern, its red-framed windows evoking warmth and memory.
Inside, carefully curated art installations—deep reds, sculptural pieces, and bold contrasts—infuse the restaurant with a sense of mystery. Together with the restrained material palette, these works transform Zi Fu Hui into an artistic landscape of dining.
Cultural and Spatial Unity
As Yu Qiuyu once said, “Culture is a kind of spiritual value and way of life that has become a habit.” Liu Daohua channels this philosophy into Zi Fu Hui, crafting a restaurant that is not just a dining venue but a cultural representation of contemporary China.
By uniting Cantonese fine dining with spatial storytelling, Zi Fu Hui embodies the evolution of Shanghai itself: a place where tradition and innovation, East and West, permanence and transformation coexist in harmony.
