Content area
Full Text
A Connecticut Asian-themed restaurant flows gently into its surroundings
You might say that Poon, a new Pan-Asian restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut, is all about water. Located in a centuries-old felt mill that's perched alongside a waterfall, the 72-seat restaurant has made its setting, design, and cuisine paramount to its persona. "Certain spaces, and cultures, suggest a specific element," says architect Jay Haverson, president of Haverson Architecture and Design in Greenwich. "In the southwest, it's all about light. In another place maybe its snow, or ice. In Asian cultures, it's about water, and a rich history surrounding lakes, the sea, fish, rice paddies, etc."
So it's no coincidence that Poon, Haverson's latest endeavor, is a study in fluids. Formerly a casual eatery, the $300,000 renovation was completed last fall. The first Asian-themed endeavor tackled by the firm, the project provided several challenges. It's also in a challenging market. Located in an out-of-the-way business district, the restaurant had to become a destination.
And charming as an old mill may be, the space presented serious limitations. "It had virtually no redeeming qualities," Haverson says. "It's a long narrow space with low-ceilings. We had no control over windows, and there was a pre-established kitchen and bathroom." Working with such rigid perimeters forced the architects to explore visual icons that would provide the flourish the building lacked.
Throughout...