Aster by Joshua Paris

RooMoo Design Studio’s Aster restaurant in Shanghai harmonizes natural floral inspiration with an immersive dining experience, featuring a dynamic open kitchen and a celestial ceiling of recycled petals.

Firm
  • area / size 3,325 sqft
  • Year 2025
  • Location Shanghai, China,
  • Type Restaurant,
  • Aster, the new restaurant led by chef Joshua Paris, draws inspiration from the aster; a flower whose name also means “star.” Its design mirrors the flower’s natural composition: a central disc, radiating petals, and layered bouquets, creating a space where geometry becomes atmosphere. Guests gather at the heart of the flower, dining beneath a constellation of light.

    The dining room revolves around an open kitchen, a chef’s counter, and a central cocktail bar, where front and back-of-house operate as one stage. Diners are invited into the culinary process, witnessing preparation, plating, and service unfold with Michelin-style precision.

    Above, the ceiling echoes the flower’s radiating form. Thirty-nine modular frames spiral gently, each holding a single translucent violet petal made from recycled xuan paper. By night, light grazes their edges, revealing delicate fibers and transforming the ceiling into a drifting violet nebula. The system is sustainable: petals can be re-dyed, and frames reused, extending the flower-inspired rhythm from bar to sky.

    Natural materials such as oak, stone, clay, root the space, with warm textures and rounded edges inviting touch and comfort.

    For a more intimate experience, a mezzanine and private dining room elevate the flower motif. Velvet, walnut, and soft fabrics soften the edges, while mirrored ceilings and suspended petals create a starlit canopy. At Aster, every detail—from material to light—guides guests through a journey of craft, comfort, and culinary artistry.

    Design: RooMoo Design Studio
    Photography: Wen Studio