Located in Shanghai’s historic Zhangyuan district, Ortensia is a stunning French-Japanese restaurant designed by Chris Shao Studio.
February 6th, 2025
Ortensia’s interior deftly combines the cultural nuances of Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai, all while celebrating the elegance of the hydrangea – its namesake flower. The design balances the traditional Shikumen architectural style with contemporary luxury.
Designed by Chris Shao Studio, harmony is central to Ortensia’s aesthetic. On the second floor, for example, French-style panelling is designed to complement the building’s retro essence, showcasing a dialogue between old and new.
Guests are greeted with greenery and hydrangeas adorning the Shikumen patio, setting a tranquil tone. Inside, the flower motif continues as a unifying element: skeletal buds form the entrance desk, metal blossoms embellish wall panels and open petals grow sculpturally on nearby walls. The centrepiece is a curved floral installation that fuses masculine and feminine forms, drawing attention as the room’s visual anchor.
Ortensia’s VIP room features a rich palette of gradients and textures. High-gloss paint and fabric light fixtures in shifting hues create a dynamic, layered effect. Overhead floral lighting casts gentle shadows onto velvet walls, maintaining a mellow yet immersive atmosphere. Adding a personal touch, a bronze-etched mirror by Charlotte Kingsnorth features hand-carved hydrangea-inspired details, echoing themes of transformation alongside timeless beauty.
Also in China: The Yoohoo Museum by Aedeas
The material palette is equally refined, featuring Venetian plaster, gradient lacquer, rustic tiles and hand-carved wood veneer. Colours range from vibrant yellows and greens to earthy browns and reds, evoking both natural beauty and urban sophistication. Custom furniture pieces further enhance the character of the space for an overall atmosphere of bespoke luxury.
The design of Ortensia delivers a memorable dining experience, weaving intricate details and cultural motifs into every corner. From the hydrangea-inspired décor to the innovative use of light and texture, the restaurant is a celebration of craftsmanship and a testament to Chris Shao Studio’s artistry.
Chris Shao Studio
chrisshaostudio.com
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
To honour Chef James Won’s appointment as Gaggenau’s first Malaysian Culinary Partner, we asked the gastronomic luminaire about parallels between Gaggenau’s ethos and his own practice, his multidimensional vision of Modern Malaysian – and how his early experiences of KFC’s accessible, bold flavours influenced his concept of fine dining.
Within the intimate confines of compact living, where space is at a premium, efficiency is critical and dining out often trumps home cooking, Gaggenau’s 400 Series Culinary Drawer proves that limited space can, in fact, unlock unlimited culinary possibilities.
Commercial specification just got more circular thanks to some new finish options for some of Klaro’s most loved pieces.
Helen Oakey is CEO of Renew and, with Sustainable House Day 2025 upon us, she talks to us about the climate crisis and what people can do at the scale of the home.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Davenport Campbell’s Anneke Alberto and Kathryn Marshall comment on the fallacy of ‘the average man’ in workplace design.
At a time when collaboration is often leveraged as a vehicle for brand amplification rather than a genuine exchange of ideas, Bankston and Sans-Arc Studio offer a compelling rejoinder.