Run For The Hills designs Wolves of Tokyo at Kensington Olympia

London-based design studio Run For The Hills has completed the naming, branding, and interior design for Wolves of Tokyo, a new Japanese restaurant and rooftop destination at Kensington Olympia.

Conceived by studio founders Anna Burles and Chris Trotman in a multi-disciplinary approach combining interior and branding, the project covers a main restaurant at sky garden level and an expansive cocktail bar situated directly above it. The studio sought to unite the two venues under a single, immersive narrative that draws heavily on Tokyo’s history, technology, and nightlife.

The branding direction stems from a Japan Noir cinema-inspired concept, defined by a precise palette of lacquer red and midnight blue anchored by cream and deep charcoal. Cinematic histories have become a popular aesthetic in the restaurant business, providing a visual shorthand for the expected ambience and experience.

As such, the visual identity extends to custom hand-drawn artworks and window-blind shadows used across lightboxes and framed prints throughout the venue. Run For The Hills also created a fictional character named Lady Zee, whose private apartment serves as the restaurant’s primary private dining room.

Chris Trotman, founding creative director at Run For The Hills, said, “Diving deep into Japanese culture, idioms and the country’s golden age of cinema, we eventually landed on Wolves of Tokyo – a bit dangerous and alluring in equal measure, with exactly the right cinematic weight. From there everything followed: the torii gate hidden in the logotype, Lady Zee as a character rather than just a room, the lacquer red against midnight blue. A brand that knows exactly what it is”.

Electric Interventions

The restaurant presents a low-lit, electro-cinematic atmosphere designed to evoke a tech noir mood. The dining room features Japanese dovetail timber booths and deep indigo seating on chrome legs, contrasting with raw concrete floors and metallic braid details.

Suspended above the diners, bespoke Japanese tasselled lanterns and a hero paper gantry light installation cast soft ambient pools throughout the space. The sushi counter forms the focal point of the ground floor, featuring a violet waterfall marble base and a gleaming steel preparation area. The space uses timber-jointed gantry shelving that glows downward onto plated dishes, set against reeded antique mirror tiles.

Elsewhere, Lady Zee’s private dining apartment operates as a standalone space with a double-height stainless-steel service bar, a neon-lit wine display, and hidden karaoke capabilities. A semi-private dining area features a striking mesh chainmail entrance that separates it from the main restaurant floor.

Anna Burles, founding creative director at Run For The Hills, said, “Wolves is a film-set kind of place – every one of our booths, every banquette and joinery detail coming from a place of design love, every choice of fabric, material or trim a considered, curated design moment. Immersive design is what we love, taking people on a journey from the moment they enter, playing with light and shade, for metamorphosis during day-to-night transitions”.

Above the Canopy

On the floor above, the rooftop terrace occupies the same footprint as the restaurant beneath Heatherwick Studio’s newly constructed bronze canopy.

Run For The Hills developed a dedicated sub-brand, Above Wolves, to give the al fresco space its own distinct character while retaining ties to the main identity. While the ground floor utilises cool chrome and indigo tones, the terrace incorporates warmer hues, including dark reds, hammered gold, peach, and coral.

The layout features custom lounge banquettes, 1970s-inspired seating, and a rosso-veined waterfall marble counter designed to glow by day and intensify after dark. The architectural framework of the canopy is complemented by the studio’s integration of glass bricks, antique brass wraparounds, and layers of rich planting.

With a dedicated DJ booth playing music inspired by Tokyo’s varied culture, the venue is primed for a relaxed daytime retreat and a charged late-night party.

The project exemplifies the strength of the multi-disciplinary studio, with each discipline informing the other throughout the design journey to create a cinematic dining experience.