Local trees breathe new life into Uchi West Hollywood

Los Angeles-based studio ORA has brought the essence of the city’s streets into Uchi West Hollywood, the latest addition to the Austin-founded Japanese restaurant chain by chef Tyson Cole.

A unique design feature of this 5,200-square-foot restaurant is the use of live-edge wood sourced from fallen street trees across LA, which forms a striking series of vertical fins dividing the dining spaces.

GALLERY

These timber dividers, created in collaboration with Angel City Lumber, are made from 42 logs of Aleppo Pine trees, collected from 14 neighbourhoods around LA. Weighing in at 26 tons, the wood was transformed into live-edge boards and arranged in sinuous lines, creating an organic flow through the restaurant’s interior. The vertical fins not only serve as spatial dividers but also introduce a tactile, natural beauty to the space, blending with ORA’s broader material palette of white oak, walnut, and plaster finishes.

ORA’s founding principal Oonagh Ryan highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, working closely with local artists, makers, and craftsmen. A standout feature is a sculptural light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa, resembling cherry blossoms, which graces the bar counter. Other California-based artists, including Liisa Liiva, Molly Haynes, and Rachel Duvall, contributed bespoke pieces, reinforcing the restaurant’s connection to the local creative community.

Beyond the rich timber textures, ORA’s design integrates practical elements like cove lighting, concealed by vertical wood bands, and hand-troweled plaster ceilings to enhance the acoustics. The restaurant also features custom concrete planters extending to the outdoor patio, adding greenery to the earthy tones of the interior.

Uchi West Hollywood’s design merges natural materials with craftsmanship, creating an inviting space that reflects the city’s spirit and celebrates sustainable design through the repurposing of LA’s fallen street trees.

Images by Eric Staudenmaier via Dezeen