HAPPY LAMB | Tacoma Mall
Architecture, Pacific Northwest architects, Ming Zhang, MZA, MZA Architecture, Multi-family architecture, Office architecture design, Civic architecture design, Civic projects, Interior design, Retail building design, Master planning design, Bellevue architects, Seattle architects, Shanghai architects, Chinese architects, Award-winning architecture and design
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3D design rendering of Happy Lamb Hot Pot exterior storefront at Tacoma Mall, showing enclosed patio addition with dark wood facade, branded signage, landscaped lawn, and The Village at Tacoma Mall directory sign prior to construction

HAPPY LAMB | Tacoma Mall

Tacoma, WA

Client: Confidential

Function: Restaurant

Restaurant Area: 6.006 SF

Construction Type: Type II-B, fully sprinkled

Scope: Interiors: DD, CD, Owner’s Representative, Food Health Permit

Construction Period: 7.5 months

Challenge: As the owner’s representative, this project involves adding an enclosed patio to the existing building. This introduced design and construction challenges related to the patio addition. MZA coordinated closely with the architect, structural and civil engineers, and the landlord to resolve these issues.
Another key challenge involved the City of Tacoma’s requirement for new construction to use electric water heating systems. However, the restaurant has a high demand for hot water for daily operations. As the owner’s representative, We assisted in pursuing a Code Modification / Alternate Method request to allow the use of a gas water heater system. This approach provided a more efficient solution and resulted in approximately $100,000 in cost savings for the project.
3D design rendering of Happy Lamb Hot Pot restaurant interior at Tacoma Mall, showing host stand with neon lamb logo, exposed ceiling structure, wood millwork columns, teal accent walls, city mural, and dining areas prior to construction

Design rendering of the Happy Lamb Hot Pot restaurant interior at Tacoma Mall, presenting a full panoramic view of the 6,006 SF space prior to construction. The central host stand features an illuminated neon lamb logo in teal, flanked by wood millwork columns and an exposed dark ceiling structure with track lighting. The left zone shows the service and beverage area with a circular Happy Lamb logo medallion, Japanese noren curtain accent, and café station. The right zone features a large-scale hand-drawn city mural on a textured wall alongside framed landscape paintings, with booth and table seating beyond. Teal plaster accent walls and warm wood elements run the full depth of the space toward the dining room and kitchen beyond — establishing a distinctly more casual and industrial character compared to the Alderwood Mall location.

3D design rendering of Happy Lamb Hot Pot entry vestibule at Tacoma Mall, showing wood slat wall panel with engraved lamb logo, glazed partition, self-service snack area, and view into main dining room prior to construction

Design rendering of the Happy Lamb Hot Pot entry vestibule at Tacoma Mall, prior to construction. A full-height vertical wood slat wall panel with an engraved lamb logo anchors the right side of the entry, separated from the dining interior by a floor-to-ceiling glazed partition. The self-service snacks area with circular logo medallion, wood millwork cabinetry, and bench seating is visible to the left.

Design rendering of the main dining area at Happy Lamb Hot Pot, Tacoma Mall, prior to construction. Terracotta textured fabric booth seating with navy cushions and wood millwork bases flanks dark-topped hot pot tables along both sides of the aisle. A large-scale hand-drawn city mural covers the full corner accent wall, giving this dining zone a bold graphic character, with storefront windows bringing natural light from the enclosed patio addition beyond.

3D design rendering of Happy Lamb Hot Pot dining area at Tacoma Mall, showing hot pot booth seating with navy cushions, dark hot pot tables, large-scale hand-drawn city mural wall, exposed dark ceiling, and storefront windows prior to construction
3D design rendering of Happy Lamb Hot Pot main dining area at Tacoma Mall, viewed toward enclosed patio, showing terracotta booth seating, marble hot pot tables, dried botanical ceiling installation, floor-to-ceiling windows, and tiered pendant lights prior to construction

Design rendering of the main dining area viewed toward the enclosed patio addition — the complementary perspective to the city mural zone. Terracotta textured fabric booth seating with navy cushions and marble-topped hot pot tables line both sides of the central aisle, with a large dried botanical ceiling installation anchoring the foreground. Floor-to-ceiling patio glazing floods the space with natural light and garden views beyond.