Happy Panda II

Happy Panda II is a Chinese restaurant located in the Cumbaya neighborhood of Quito, Ecuador.

The key design objective was to quickly construct a comfortable and airy dining space that takes full advantage of the double-height space. The project notably features a canopy of colorful lantern-like chandeliers composed of paracord and painted steel tubes. Booth seating was prioritized and the aim was to hybridize the qualities of traditional American diners with that of casual Chinese restaurants. Distinct functional elements were embedded into the large triangular islands including built-in booth seating for diners as well as a full service bar and cashier space. The volumes were further chiseled to account for circulation flows and a private dining area.  

On a fundamental level, the project is composed of simple geometric forms and spaces, ranging from prisms and cuboids to cylinders and truncated cones. The triangular site included an existing mezzanine which was converted into the restaurant’s kitchen and surrounded with scalloped soffits and a new drop ceiling. The base of the chandeliers align with the mezzanine, effectively marking a continuous ceiling datum, while a second horizon is established by the counter tops.  

Simple industrial materials were used throughout the project. Painted corrugated steel wraps around the booths and mezzanine walls while a serial collection of plywood panels outlines the perimeter of the space.

Happy Panda II was completed in 2020.