Few restaurant brands carry a culinary and design language as recognisable as Nobu’s. Founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, the brand is built on the fusion of Japanese technique and Peruvian flavour, and has continued to expand into a global network of restaurants and hotels spanning major cultural capitals.
‘For Nobu Cape Town, Rockwell Group’s goal was to create a dialogue between cultures: the precision and restraint of Japanese design meeting the warmth and tactility of South Africa,’ says Shawn Sullivan, partner at architectural design firm Rockwell Group, who wanted to honour South African design in this project. ‘All of Rockwell Group’s Nobu restaurants and hotels combine rich and tactile design with the chef’s personalised craft, and careful attention to natural materials, texture, finishes, experimentation and storytelling specific to the locale.’
The Cape Town location was the perfect opportunity to combine Nobu’s Japanese-inspired materiality and culinary artistry with the ethos of ubuntu: the philosophy that celebrates the interconnectedness of people and their responsibilities to each other and the environment. These elements resulted in a space that creates a dynamic visual rhythm that draws guests through the restaurant, from the woven screens to the carved wood and stone. ‘By layering fabrics and light, we softened the clean geometry of the room, making a contemporary space feel nuanced and crafted,’ says Sullivan. ‘Throughout, the materials reference one another, for example the bar’s beautiful green tiles and the green stone backing of the sushi bar.’
Local collaboration formed a crucial layer of the project’s identity. Cape Town- based textile artist Julia Swanepoel Pepler created oversized, deconstructed wall-hangings that translate traditional tufting into a contemporary spatial language. Through an intuitive process of material transformation, each work explores the relationship between material and image, where texture, depth and form generate rhythm and spatial presence.
The handcrafted hangings reflect the terrains and textures of the South African coast, a perfect example of how Rockwell Group blended both cultures, histories and contexts. One of the key decisions that had to be made was identifying which existing elements left a lasting impression on guests and choosing how to amplify those moments rather than replacing them. Rockwell Group preserved the large windows framing Table Mountain and the theatrical sense of arrival when descending the grand staircase. ‘We completely redesigned the stairs but retained the scale of the arrival experience and original orientation,’ says Sullivan. ‘We also reconfigured the restaurant’s layout, adding banquettes along the windows to highlight the spectacular views.’
A sculpted piece of salvaged milkwood driftwood stands sentinel on the staircase, providing a symbolic focal point, echoing Nobu’s philosophy in form. ‘Milkwoods are a protected species in South Africa and seen as guardians of home and memory, providing shade, connecting generations, and fostering belonging,’ Sullivan explains. ‘Our guiding principle with this renovation was an authentic connection to local craft and materials, so the milkwood felt like the perfect symbol of this concept.’
Nobu Cape Town demonstrates how a global brand can remain consistent while becoming locally meaningful. The design draws on Japanese restraint while embracing South African texture and craft, creating a space that feels deeply rooted in its locale. Carefully framed views of Table Mountain anchor the interior to its setting, while bespoke artworks and natural materials introduce warmth and narrative. The result is an environment where world-famous seafood cuisine and philosophy are paramount.
Credits
This article was originally published in the House & Garden South Africa April/May 2026 issue.
Text by Shai Rama
Images: Greg Cox
