Although born into a ramen empire, Tonchin New York founders Anan and Toi Sugeno had yet to open a restaurant of their own. Tonchin was arriving in a new city and required a new look; it was a priority to us that the aesthetic of the restaurant reflect the brothers' own sense of style, which is both playful and sophisticated. Knowing almost no one in the city, Anan and Toi looked to us to help curate the design team and we were lucky enough to bring in our favorite collaborators, including graphic design team LMNOP Creative. Our material and formal choices were informed by traditional Japanese textiles, colors and techniques, but all with a sense of playfulness to keep our references from feeling too literal and heavy.