Kyiv restaurant Virgin Izakaya inhabits a vast brick-walled factory space in what was once a weapons facility for the Imperial Russian Army.

Local studio YoDezeen has overhauled the 257-year-old building, which is part of a bigger plant complex that’s gradually being transformed into museum, office and restaurant space. Its bare brick walls and vaulted ceiling have been left as is, although the studio has installed huge pendant lights, reminiscent of bird cages, that emphasise the scale of the factory.

They’re complemented by brown leather dining armchairs and a row of squashy terracotta cushions covering the long concrete bench running down one side of the restaurant. Marble-topped tables and fiddle leaf figs finish the space.

YoDezeen opted for an unusual approach to Virgin Izakaya’s bathroom, which is housed in a red mesh installation shaped to resemble a Shinto shrine – which removed the need to change the building’s floor plan as well. The Kyiv restaurant serves a menu of classic izakaya small dishes, from sushi and sashimi to miso aubergine and spicy duck.

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