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"Failed an exam, got roasted by the boss, a pot of shabu can cure everything.

Shabu is one of those comfort foods that boost your energy after an exhausting day or week. It isn't just about the food, but the atmosphere of a shabu meal. It means quality time with family and friends. Since its arrival in Thailand, the 'Shabu culture' has been growing, with countless shabu places emerging practically everywhere. Among the prolific birth of shabu restaurants, a small establishment called 'SHABU LAB' made its way into the world of shabu with its very first branch in the Siam neighborhood of Bangkok.

A shabu meal is a dining experience similar to a scientific experiment; both require a specific set of tools. Diners use their imagination with the ingredients, with the help of a heated pot. The ingredients get mixed, change forms, and produce new tastes. The fact that shabu has its own little 'evolution' means there are no limits on what type of ingredients, seasoning, soups, or sauces one can or cannot use.

The conceptualization of these ideas gave birth to 'SHABU LAB.' The first branch under the brand became an incredible success, not just for the quirky concept, but for the great variety of ingredients, variations of soups and sauces, and the laboratory-inspired mood and tone that offered a refreshing dining experience. Such success led to the opening of the second 'SHABU LAB' located near Kasetsart University. For the second branch, IFSO had the opportunity to work with the SHABU LAB team to further develop the brand's concept to make it even stronger and more fun.

The design aims to make a shabu dining experience that is not just inspired by a scientific experiment but an actual 'experiment' inside what we call the 'shabu laboratory.'

After a thorough analysis of the functional spaces of laboratories and shabu restaurants, we found certain commonalities. The first thing we looked into is the usability of functional spaces. A scientific experiment and a shabu meal are similar in that they both need a handful of equipment. For that matter, the table inside a laboratory needs to offer sufficient workspace. This problem is similar to when people eat a shabu meal, where a table has to accommodate a large pot, a portable stove, food trays, bowls, dishes, dip bowls, not to mention the place to put the bags, containers for menus, pencils, tissues, napkins, etc. Because of these details, a shabu meal is always a bit of a struggle. We designed a large shelf and a cabinet for clients who don't want their bags to smell to resolve the issue. This way, the table has more space to accommodate diners' shabu experiments.

'Efficiency' is the second focus of the design. A convenient and efficient workspace gives positive outcomes, whether it's a laboratory or a shabu restaurant. We designed the kitchen to enable employees' uninterrupted workflow. The stockroom, food preparation, and expedite areas are in the same space, eliminating the hectic image of waitstaff walking around from one place to another while doing their job.

The program allows the staff to work more efficiently while making the best use of the functional space. 'Cleanliness' is key to every good laboratory and restaurant operation. In addition to hygiene, which is a fundamental quality of all restaurants, another common issue of shabu places is the smell that quickly finds its way into diners' hair and clothes. To prevent the unpleasant post-meal odor and live up to the name 'SHABU LAB,' the design includes overhead hoods for every operating stove.

The team designed the façade to coincide with the project's functional demands, with spaces provided for promotional and advertising vinyl banners and a lighting system to illuminate the structure at night. Additionally, the design intentionally parodies the project's surrounding context. A tangle of overhead telecom and broadcast cables in front of the restaurant becomes a part of the façade's design, which appears as if the wires found their way into the building, powering up the laboratory. No matter how seriously the design seems to take the concept, this isn't an actual laboratory. The graphic design adds a playful, chaotic element to the interior space, disrupting the rigidity of the laboratory-like space and making it more fun and friendly. Witty quotes and cute illustrations accentuate the scientific mood and tone, from element charts and chemical formulas to renowned scientists' wise words.

Combining the design with the quality of the food and the fantastic variety of soup and sauce variations (both the original and newly added ones), we sincerely hope that this branch of SHABU LAB will become a memorable part of the growing 'shabu culture' and continue to evolve as a source of happiness for many more people in the long future to come."