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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2016
Inside & Out(side)
ROWLAND+BROUGHTON
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houghtful. Humble. Purposeful. Timeless. Those
four simple words were the foundation behind
the design of the new Matsuhisa restaurant in
Denver’s upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood.
From the outset, the goal of legendary chef-restau-
rateur Nobu Matsuhisa, alongside the restaurant
ownership team (Steve Goldberg, Michael Gold-
berg, Nobuko Kang and Todd Clark), was to create
a well-balanced environment that fully addressed
the restaurant operation, united the sensibilities of
Colorado and Japan, and showcased chef Matsuhisa’s
remarkable Japanese cuisine.
Informed by the travels of R+B principals John
Rowland and Sarah Broughton in Japan, the concept
was realized in every detail. The singular guest expe-
rience begins at the valet entry’s Zen Garden, where
a gentle stream of water falls from the ceiling onto
a simple boulder. The installation was inspired by
Japanese artist Masatoshi Izumi.
Since the site is oriented on the corner of a busy
intersection, it was important to focus the dining ex-
perience internally. This was achieved by cloaking
the windows in a custom-designed wood screen sys-
tem, featuring a pattern inspired by the traditional
Japanese Asanoha, or hemp leaf. Layered to create vi-
sual texture, the window system allows for a glimpse
of Colorado’s bluebird sky during the day.
A soothing, natural interior palette was estab-
lished to provide an elegant setting for the unique
food presentation. Reclaimed Indonesian teak uni-
fies the design, as the floor, many walls, the ceilings,
the bar and millwork were all custom crafted from
the same material. A back bar wall clad in leathered
Sandalwood sandstone was quarried from Colorado’s
Western Slope. Sliding teak partition walls feature
resin panels impressed with trimmings of prayer
paper made by Himalayan monks from indigenous
shrubs. The sloped acoustic ceiling is reminiscent of
the Rocky Mountains, visible to the west.
PROJECT TEAM
Haselden Construction
Avanti Fabricators
Sandler Seating
Advanced Interior Manufacturers
Waterworks
Interlam
IndoTeak
The Stone Collection
Raydoor
Fambuena lighting
Aqua lighting
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