Omotesando's GYRE Restaurant Floor Reimagined as "GYRE.FOOD"

GYRE

A Maison, All-Day Dining, and Bar Centered on the Theme of "Circulation"

The restaurant floor of GYRE in Omotesando, Tokyo, has been renewed and reborn as "GYRE.FOOD." Professionals in space and food have participated, creating a venue that expresses the theme of "circulation."

Text by WASEDA Kosaku (OPENERS)

An Assembly of Culinary and Spatial Design Elites

GYRE opened in Omotesando, Tokyo, in 2007, designed by the Dutch architectural group MVRDV.

With a philosophy of "SHOP & THINK"—meaning to live while being aware of what is happening in the world—and true to its name GYRE (vortex, rotation), it has been cherished as a place that attracts new energy and people, a one-of-a-kind commercial facility.

In January 2020, the restaurant floor on the 4th floor of GYRE was reborn as "GYRE.FOOD," a concept that more strongly embodies "SHOP & THINK" with a "one floor, one concept" approach. It now integrates a maison, an all-day dining establishment, a bar, a grocery shop, and an event space, all centered around the theme of "circulation."

This renovation involved the participation of numerous elites in spatial design and cuisine.

The overall concept was curated by Kayoko Hirao, CEO of HiRAO INC and the general director of GYRE, who has handled a wide range of projects, and Yuriko Nomura, a chef active in various culinary fields, including "restaurant eatrip," which opened in a traditional house in Harajuku-Meiji Jingu Mae.

On-site direction was led by Kai Tanaka, known for his work on "THE OPEN BOOK," a specialty lemon sour bar in Shinjuku Golden Gai. The food direction for the restaurant was handled by Ryoma Shino, who trained in Paris and honed his skills as sous chef at Ginza's "ESqUISSE."

The spatial design was undertaken by Tsuyoshi Tane, an architect based in France, and his team, Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects. This marks Tane's first restaurant project in Japan.

Across the 1000-square-meter floor, the maison "élan," the all-day dining "EUREKA," the bar "fünklein," and the grocery & souvenir shop "eatrip soil" are featured.

The concept for the floor, harmonizing these four distinct businesses, is "all attitude of all people." Kai Tanaka, who was responsible for the floor plan, stated, "We aim to create spaces that embrace the diverse people of Omotesando and cater to any mood. In every area, following the idea of 'from soil to soil,' the origin and end are the same, even if the paths taken differ."

General Director Kayoko Hirao commented, "This new perspective on a food community will undoubtedly be a challenge of trial and error. Direction is being handled by a team including Kai Tanaka and Chef Ryoma Shino. Daily ingredients will become compost, returning to the soil of the facility's garden. The workshop 'Seed program by eatrip soil' aims to foster a style of feeling, thinking, and changing through food, allowing visitors to take away various thoughts and ideas. The facility utilizes a central kitchen for people and ingredients to share philosophy and put actions into practice. GYRE. FOOD, a space where soil, greenery, and light circulate. From here in Omotesando, Tokyo, we want to propose 'SHOP & THINK' through eating, hoping to foster 'empathy' and 'resonance' that lead to new ways of living."