Sanoi:

When Bitastad, one of Trondheim's leading incubators for innovative dining concepts, joined forces with Jonas Nåvik, the founder of Fagn, they envisioned creating Sanoi — a new and exciting restaurant and food concept, highlighting the value of sharing.

Combining Nordic culinary traditions with Asian flavours, Sanoi aimed to open up a new world of taste experiences through shared menus and a genuine love for food. Nonspace found inspiration in Sanoi's core qualities when crafting a compelling brand story and visual profile that effectively convey the restaurant's values. With the concept "when we share, we expand our world" we created an engaging identity and brand platform aiming to inspire and resonate with customers for years to come.

Trondheim has emerged as Norway's culinary capital in recent years, attracting food enthusiasts from far and wide with its world-class dining experiences and multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. While Jonas Nåvik, the renowned founder of Fagn, is a familiar name in the Trøndelag region's Michelin scene, this new venture aimed to create a more approachable and relaxed dining atmosphere.

The challenge was to position Sanoi within a rapidly growing and fiercely competitive market, where the concept needed to engage and inspire food enthusiasts, while also creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. Additionally, Sanoi sought to positively challenge their guests with innovative flavours and combinations across geographical and culinary boundaries.

"When we share, we expand our world" embodies an invitation to embrace the moment around the table, around good food and drink, share stories and experiences and try new things. The concept emphasises the importance of interaction and community in an increasingly fragmented world. It acknowledges that sharing allows us to make new discoveries, strengthen our connections, and create new memories.

Visually, the concept came to life through a fusion of form, where different dishes — and flavours and cultures — come together, take new form and essentially create something new. The quantities and stacking of plates and bowls allow for a playful visual language with a generous feel. The containers of food, translate into graphic containers for content, imagery, and decoration, for use in digital and physical spaces and wayfinding.

With a menu designed to encourage communal dining and a large sharing table incorporated in the interior design, the concept effectively communicates Sanoi's core values of generosity, community, and sharing. Resulting in a sensory and inspirational experience for guests, whilst fostering a deeper understanding and respect for diverse food cultures and traditions by facilitating the sharing of flavours across borders.