House & Robertson teamed up with designer Philippe Starck’s office in Paris, France to execute the initial Katsuya restaurant in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Designed as a precisely detailed wood box, the project incorporates sustainable wood walls, floors and ceiling panels. The restaurant and bar achieves a dramatic effect via rigorous attention to minimalist detail, such as a series of large graphic panels with dramatic lighting effects that are prominent within their austere surroundings. HRA was instrumental in achieving the project’s design ambitions within a severely limited budget and time frame, primarily by working directly with key suppliers and craftsmen to find creative solutions for a variety of issues. The project was selected as a finalist in the AIA/Los Angeles 2007 Restaurant Design Awards.