• Planning / Mixed-Use
• Hospitality / Entertainment
• Office/Retail
• Restaurants
• National
• Independent
• Barclay's American Grille
• Ditkas
• Elway's
• Hubbell & Hudson
• Keefer's
• The Lucky Monk
• Oak Tree Restaurant and Bakery
• Sushi House
• William B's Steakhouse

Bob and Diana Johnson were pleased to open their sixth Sushi House at the beginning of 2008 in Oak Park. They had approached Aria Group with a desire to bring their concept to a higher level of design refinement. Combining traditional Japanese principles of design with a warm, contemporary aesthetic, we created a space that speaks to the purists and welcomes the mainstream. The space welcomes anyone walking down the street into an affair of great food surrounded by a warm atmosphere full of conversation pieces to keep the experience one of continuous discovery.

The building consists of three stories at 2,500 SF each. The lower level is an intimate and sleek lounge; the street level hosts the main restaurant with the sushi bar, an elevated tatami dining area, traditional tea rooms, and its own custom-written haiku alongside a 20-ft laser-cut, edge-lit dragon. The third level is an open loft- design residence. 

Sustainability was an important factor leading to the use of natural materials with high-recycled content and from easily renewable sources, such as bamboo plywood and flooring, certified lyptus millwork, low-VOC wall coverings, carpeting, and paints. From a mechanical and electrical standpoint, this space uses simple concepts such as (but not limited to) lower-consumption lighting, LED strip-lights, day-lighting and high-efficiency mechanical units. 

Thorndale Construction was the general contractor on the project.