Ewan Waddell
NEXUS: the Architecture of Atmosphere.
Amidst Tokyo’s sprawling skyline, Cristina Poelk’s latest creation, NEXUS, reimagines the dining experience as a dynamic interplay of architecture and gastronomy. More than just a bar or restaurant, it is a study in spatial transformation—an experiment in how modularity can shape atmosphere and movement. At its core lies a new iteration of the TERMINO modular system, an architectural intervention that dissolves conventional boundaries between nightclub, bar, and fine dining.
The interior is unapologetically brutalist: a raw concrete shell that embraces material honesty over ornamentation. Yet within this stark framework, Poelk introduces a striking counterpoint. Large circular windows punctuate the monolithic structure, framing Tokyo’s skyline as a cinematic backdrop while softening the room’s geometric rigidity.
360 Bar.
At the centre, a 360-degree bar—built entirely from TERMINO’s modular system—becomes the gravitational core of the space. More than a functional hub, it shapes the entire room’s rhythm. Suspended storage modules, appearing to float on near-invisible wires, introduce a sense of weightlessness, while tall open shelving units define the edges with sculptural clarity. This balance between mass and lightness lends the interior an unexpected fluidity.
There is a cinematic quality to NEXUS, its design subtly evoking the neon-lit worlds of 1980s sci-fi. High ceilings amplify the spatial drama, while the flooring, with its quiet nods to postmodernist play, keeps the atmosphere from feeling too austere. The result is a space that feels both futuristic and elemental—bold yet inviting.
Social Space in Motion.
Furnishings soften the architecture’s industrial edge, introducing warmth and tactility. Sculptural GRAU lamps punctuate the tables, their soft glow carving out pockets of intimacy. The material palette—steel, glass, and concrete—remains unembellished, but in dialogue with TERMINO’s modular precision, it finds a balance between adaptability and permanence. The system’s flexibility allows the venue to shift effortlessly from an intimate dining setting to the energy of late-night revelry.
The bar’s centrality is more than an aesthetic statement—it reflects Poelk’s vision of a social space in constant motion. Guests transition seamlessly between roles: diner, observer, participant. In this way, NEXUS mirrors the rhythms of urban life itself, where encounters are fluid and spaces are always being redefined.
TERMINO’s modular system underpins this transformation. Its precision and versatility create a space that is at once flexible and assured, experimental yet timeless. NEXUS is more than a hospitality concept; it is a rethinking of how architecture, design, and dining can merge into a singular, immersive experience.
Designed by Cristina Poelk.
Visualised by Maryna Korak.
