The Olive Ristorante, Labrador Park

I came to know about the Olive Ristorante located in Labrador Park when our design studio went to the park for site study for the latest design project. The studio spent the evening there for a pleasant Italian dinner.
We first walked by the restaurant in the afternoon when we first arrived at the park. My first impression of it is a very welcoming space. This is because against the glaring sun of the afternoon, the restaurant offers a shady shelter. Just walking by the restaurant, one is attracted by the cooling shade created by the high over hanging roof. The roof reaches the height of up to 4 meters for the eave nearer the entrance. The roof for the rear of the restaurant is slightly lower, for a more intimate environment for dinning. The entire restaurant is thoroughly naturally ventilated, having an entirely open plan and no internal division to promote wind flow.
By the time we finished our tour and headed back to the restaurant, it was around 6 pm but the air was still humid and warm. However, as we entered the restaurant, it was suddenly a different climatic zone, one which is cooling and dry. The restaurant sits itself against a steep slope, overlooking the plateau of land of the neighboring golf course. This promises plenty of ventilation for the premise, as the restaurant is situated on a high point. The roof fans also aid in promoting ventilation.
Within the restaurant, there is effort to make the restaurant relate even more to its environment. The roof of the rear of the restaurant is of a translucent material for natural lighting of the space in the day. Some creeper plants are grown on top of the roof. The green leaves, together with the brown shed leaves dropped on the roof can be seen through the roof clearly, which lends a very natural and unpretentious air to the restaurant.
I thought that for a rather up-end Italian restaurant, the slightly rustic quality of the space and the completely natural way of ventilation and lighting gives it a more down to earth and approachable feel, allowing it to fit in nicely with the surrounding natural reserve of Labrador Park.

Yang Han