restaurant concept
AWARDS
angelo dongia foundation scholarship winner
2026
At oya, the oyster is not only served, it becomes the space itself
oya. is an intimate, dreamy oyster bar shaped by the anatomy of an oyster, guiding guests from the protective outer shell through layered texture and shadow toward a softly glowing “pearl” core, where oyster tasting is intimately experienced from within.
Set in the Arts District in Los Angeles, CA, the primary audiences for the space are young creatives drawn to immersive, design-led dining environments that prioritize experience as much as food as well as cultural tastemakers who are drawn to awe-inducing dining experiences
SPATIAL NARRATIVE
The spatial strategy of oya. is designed as an immersive descent and reveal, where guests move from compressed, intimate spaces into increasingly luminous and layered dining settings. The journey culminates under a shared glowing centerpiece that becomes the emotional heart of the space.
ENTRY & CHECK IN - THE VOID
Guests descend into a darkened oceanic void where curved walls, wool panels, and deep tones dissolve the outside world. The space feels submerged and suspended, as if sinking beneath the surface of the sea.
FACADE - THE OCEAN’S SURFACE
The journey begins at the facade, where patinated brass panels glimmer like the surface of the ocean, catching light with an almost liquid sheen. From the street, the building feels mysterious and intriguing, as though something hidden exists beneath its surface.
ARRIVAL BAR - THE GUARDED SHELL
The guarded arrival bar feels like the protective shell of the oyster, wrapped in raw textures, earthy materials, and warm concealed light. Intimate and enclosing, it creates a sense of secrecy before revealing what lies deeper within.
section perspective viewing the transition between shell bar and dining room space
DINING SPACE - THE OYSTER’S INTERIOR
The dining space unfolds into layered gradients inspired by the iridescent interior of the oyster. Hanging mesh, reflective materials, and diffused light create a fluid atmosphere where guests feel enveloped within the oyster itself.
MIXOLOGY BAR - THE PEARL
At the heart of the space, a glowing suspended “pearl” gathers guests beneath its shared light. Warm, luminous surfaces transform the bar into a collective space centered around connection, reflection, and atmosphere.
Brilliant Wood Flooring- Storm
Violetta Honed Marble
Blue Wool Felt Tiles
Weathered Steel Panels
Bucchero Maxi Cement Terazzo
Dark Cork Wallcovering
Jute Textile
Handmade 3D Tile
Large Boulders
Stained Wood
Plasticiet Mother of Pearl Plastic
Hot-Rolled Steel
Hanging Fine Metal Mesh
Stained Wood
3D-Printed Fermented Sugar
Honed Onyx
Hanging Fine Metal Mesh
MATERIAL STRATEGY
The material strategy is rooted in the anatomy of the oyster, guiding guests from a submerged, oceanic void through a raw protective shell toward a luminous pearl core.
Matte darkened surfaces create depth and suspension, tactile textures evoke guarded reveal, and layered contrasts build intensity, culminating in reflective surfaces that diffuse light into a soft, immersive glow
At oya, the oyster is not only served, it becomes the space itself
