AJI, the brand of Japanese and Asian cuisine exclusively for takeout and home delivery, created by Claudio Liu, interprets the constraints and opportunities of this era.
The interior design project by Maurizio Lai shapes the setting for an original management of space and an innovative business model. The “White Paper” by Design Tech for Future entrusts Maurizio Lai with reflections on the future of catering.
AJI, is the takeout and delivery brand of Asian food designed by Claudio Liu, to whom Maurizio Lai gave form, space, depth, and tactile dimension, with an interior design that reflects the elegance and impeccable service of the brand.
AJI, the concept and the formula: delivery and take away
The format of AJI in Milan is one of a kind: superior quality Asian specialties are prepared in a highly technological kitchen, delivered quickly, carefully, and sustainably. One single table, one single environment overlooking the open kitchen: the AJI model remains avant-garde and innovative even in this period of forced distancing.
AJI offers not only takeout service but also delivery: managed directly by the brand, with dedicated vehicles and staff, it ensures the utmost attention to every detail, from kitchen to home. To enhance delivery safety, boxes will soon be equipped with a special antibacterial film. Entrepreneur Claudio Liu, co-founder of AJI and owner of IYO and IYO AALTO, has also announced a project to create a Dark Kitchen in East Milan: this will make it possible to reach a larger clientele, offering the same dishes, products, and care that characterize the brand.
The environment of AJI is designed to convey to customers the sense of speed and quality that distinguishes the gastronomic offering. The space is built for managing the wait: Maurizio Lai designs the time people spend while the food is being finalized, creating an experience level that acts on emotions and uses the material to convey the brand’s values to the public.
The architect uses light to expand the environment: the ceiling transforms into a three-dimensional canvas, with hanging bodies alongside a geometric pattern constructed with lights and reflections. Satin-finish porcelain stoneware surfaces with a travertine effect, customized furniture elements enhanced by lighting effects transport the design into a space usually entrusted to strictly functional planning. The space seamlessly integrates the large and elegant street-facing kitchen, where passersby can see the ritual preparation of refined dishes.
The future of gastronomy in the “White Paper” DesignTech for Future
With his reflections on the future of gastronomy, Maurizio Lai contributed to the definition of DesignTech for Future, the “White Paper” promoted by the DesignTech Hub of MIND Milano Innovation District: a programmatic document for the restart, structured into 13 thematic working tables, signed by an international task force composed of designers, companies, and sector professionals. The coordination of the table dedicated to gastronomy was entrusted precisely to Lai who, in collaboration with Paolo Barichella (Food Lifestyle), drafted reflections and guidelines for the gastronomy sector: to face the Covid-19 emergency through design and innovation.
Food Delivery AJI
“The phenomenon of food delivery, which in recent years has already seen widespread diffusion and made its debut in the world of haute cuisine – as in the case of AJI – has in fact anticipated the ongoing change,” states Lai. “Ghost Kitchens or Cloud Kitchens, dedicated exclusively to the distribution of food outside the physical establishment, will grow, while for start-ups it will be the moment to launch innovative solutions or utilize spaces such as Virtual Kitchens.”
Lai reflects on the restart of the food world not only from the business perspective: environment, distancing, comfort, and experience will be increasingly crucial elements in defining new gastronomy spaces. The architect foresees active sanitization processes to purify environments safely, new technologies to enable touchless operations and free up space. In addition to a renewed layout organization to guarantee a sense of privacy and comfort.
