Taipei, Taiwan / 2012
Interior
Restaurant Design for South Beauty Taipei
South Beauty Taipei restaurant fuses traditional Chinese and Taiwanese details with a sense of Scandinavian simplicity while maintaining an elegant and luxurious atmosphere. The kitchen, placed in the center of the space behind an LED waterfall, stages the food as the central and most important element of the experience.
project overview
| Location | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Year | 2012 |
| Area | 800 m2 |
| Creative Director | Johannes Torpe |
| Project Leader | Mikkel Bøgh |
| Senior Designer | Helle Maach |
| Senior Architect | Thomas Helsted |
| Design Team | Trine Kjær, Matthias Kisch, Kristine Mandsberg, Sofie Brünner, Jesper Bendix Andreasen, Henrik Endelt Andersen, Mirjam Hallin, Christian Dam, Allan Madsen, Annika Göransson |
| Materials | Bamboo, leather, LED light screen, hand-drawn paintings |
| Services | Interior Design, Furniture Design, Product Design, Illustration |
| High res press downloads |
Design concept
Johannes Torpe Studios was asked by South Beauty Group to design a Chinese restaurant in the Xinyi district of Taipei. The challenge was to design a restaurant that would provide an unforgettable high-end dining experience, while uniting Chinese craftsmanship together with a sense of Danish simplicity. The kitchen resides in the centre of the space, staging the food as the central and most important part of the experience.
The concept for the South Beauty Taipei Restaurant is based upon the fusion of traditional and contemporary design principles. We challenged the traditional idea of a Chinese water feature with the creation of a digitalised version; an LED curtain standing in front of the kitchen that plays continuous video footage of a waterfall. The visible flames of the chefs-in-action through the digital curtain create a fusion of fire and water, two essential elements required to bring a space into balance according to the rules of Feng Shui.
Design details
Above the diners' heads is a 800m² Chinese-inspired artwork hand painted by a selection of Danish artists. Additionally, the music is curated to suit the time of day and the authentic Chinese cuisine being served. Together, all aspects of the space form a 360° experience that satisfies all of the senses.