The team at Cushing Terrell renovated and transformed a vacant, former 834-m² (8,980-sf) restaurant into the newest location of Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill.

The building, originally designed in the 1970s by one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s disciples in his late-era organic style, is situated along the Boise River Greenbelt in Idaho.

The project involved a comprehensive remodel of the restaurant’s interior, including upgrades to the kitchen equipment and bar area and the addition of a sushi bar. Beyond the interior spaces, the project required mechanical and electrical system upgrades, as well as updates to enhance the building’s exterior spaces and overall curb appeal.

The design concept reimagines the building as a boat resting on the river’s shore. This idea revived the spirit of the original 1970s-era restaurant and introduced new elements inspired by boat building and enhanced with Asian wood details.

A key challenge was to infuse the American architectural style with Asian influences and merge the two in a way that feels cohesive. This was accomplished through a variety of features, such as the color scheme and the design of the eaves at the entry, evoking the look of a pagoda, a tiered tower-like structure.

The triangular-shaped building features a vaulted dining room, with the central kitchen area designed to resemble a festive street market. It is surrounded by street-style dining areas, including a tented cookhouse.

The design team also incorporated a new screen wall to conceal back-of-house mechanical equipment and support areas. The screen wall was designed as part of the overall wooden ship structure, with lofting ribs reminiscent of a boat skeleton.