4SPACE Design

MEI is a contemporary Asian restaurant and bar designed by 4SPACE, conceived as more than a dining venue — a spatial destination where cultural symbolism and architectural clarity converge within a refined hospitality experience. The client’s brief called for a place defined by duality: a restaurant that could transition seamlessly between day and night, dining and lounge, intimacy and openness, while maintaining a single, coherent design language.

The name MEI, meaning “beautiful” in Mandarin, establishes the guiding principle of the project. Beauty here is not treated as surface decoration, but as proportion, rhythm, and balance. Drawing inspiration from both Japanese and Chinese architectural traditions, the design establishes a dialogue between cultures rather than a literal fusion. Symbolic references are abstracted and reinterpreted through contemporary architectural gestures, allowing cultural memory to inform the space without resorting to imitation.

At the heart of the restaurant is the defining architectural gesture: a “house within a house.” A pitched-roof structure encloses the bar, acting as both sculptural centerpiece and spatial threshold. Layered rooflines, timber columns, and carved wood detailing recall vernacular dwellings, yet are expressed with modern restraint. By day, this central volume sits calmly within the dining room; by night, it transforms into a softly glowing lantern, anchoring the atmosphere and drawing guests inward.

The dining area flows organically around this core, shaped by slatted timber screens that provide rhythm, orientation, and privacy without enclosure. Crane motifs — symbols of longevity and peace — appear subtly within murals and ceiling panels, while above, a suspended origami-inspired installation unfolds across the ceiling plane. Its folded geometry introduces lightness and movement, hovering delicately over the space while reinforcing the project’s underlying theme of duality. Execution demanded a high level of technical precision to ensure cultural authenticity without pastiche. Every symbolic element — from the roof form to the crane motif and folded ceiling installation — was developed as an architectural component with clarity and purpose. Close collaboration across crafts was essential, involving bespoke joinery, custom carpentry, and tailored lighting solutions to ensure that each feature performed both aesthetically and functionally within a high-traffic hospitality environment.

MEI is designed as a space in motion. During the day, pale woods, textured finishes, and diffused lighting establish a calm, contemplative dining atmosphere. As evening falls, lantern light glows from within the bar structure, brass accents begin to shimmer, and shadows animate across timber screens. The space transitions effortlessly from restaurant to lounge, offering guests a curated journey between openness and cocooned intimacy.

The material palette reinforces this balance. Warm, pale woods provide a neutral foundation, contrasted by deep red structural columns that introduce symbolic depth. Brass detailing adds understated richness, while textured wall finishes and refined upholstery support comfort without distracting from the architectural narrative.

MEI’s identity lies in its clarity of concept and restraint of expression — an environment where symbolism is architectural, atmosphere is fluid, and duality is experienced rather than explained.

Designers: 4SPACE
Project: MEI
Location: Jumeirah Mina Al Salam - Jumeira St - Madinat Jumeirah - Umm Suqeim 3 - Dubai