From TaG Living
Located near Kaohsiung Port, THOMAS CHIEN Restaurant is the Michelin-green-starred French restaurant in Taiwan. TaG Living focused on four themes: sustainability, cross-disciplinary collaboration, art, and eco-friendliness. The characteristics of Kaohsiung's harbor, ships, and classic French elements all come together to create immersive zones. The city’s abundance of maritime elements is incorporated into the space to shape a circular flow in the layout with curved dynamic lines. In this space, curves are heavily used to replace right angles, resembling the gentle forward movements of water. The indoor vault descends from the ceiling like flowing water, resembling classical French architecture. The deconstructed classical lines are transformed into parabolic grooves scattered, shaping into arched structures above the ground.
Sensory experiences are amplified and the space becomes a gallery of tastes. The pergolas of three arc-shaped sculptures located in the center are woven with traditional rattan. They give a sense of transparency, with a substantial presence but not oppressive. The forms are inspired by the canopies of traditional banquet, transforming Taiwanese memories with a local fun of "dining under the canopy" along a circular path. This design creates a sense of ritual and shapes into the stage for a cross-cultural experience and the centerpiece of sights yet with privacy. The pergola, woven with traditional craftsmanship, is like a small theater for performing arts. The process of enjoying exquisite dishes is elevated into an art feast, allowing visitors to participate.
TaG Living transforms local ingredients and wastes into reclaimed materials for the space. For instance, oyster shells after dining are processed into natural concrete-free paints. The finely-sculpted patterns become different layers within the space and align with the philosophy of sustainability. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of indoor materials, TaG Living collaborated with a recycling materials PhD, collected the furnace slags of the smelting process from local steel corporation, combined with oyster shells and developed a series of counter, table legs, and boat-shaped chair through 3D printing and structural design. An interesting detail is hidden in the table's legs, inspired by the traditional French napkin fold. Soft napkins are turned into sturdy pillars, symbolizing the contrast between tradition and innovation.
Another case of material recycling involves ghost nets, the ecological threat drifting in the sea. Through reprocessing techniques, these nets are fabricated into organic recycled carpets. The color tones of the carpet forms into the local topography and serves as the guide for traffic flow of this space. TaG Living also worked with local florists by using coarse hemp as frameworks and drawing inspiration from the waves washing over the harbor to deconstruct and reconstruct the imagery of islands, oceans, and sail canvases. Taiwan's biodegradable materials were pieced together to create layers, preserving the natural, organic, and flowing rhythms. This results in the creation of pendant lights, echoing sustainability from the land.
Under its brand for sustainability, TaG Living extends from sourcing, seasonality, and carbon footprint of ingredients on the dining table to the regeneration, recycling, and carbon footprint beyond the dining space. The low-carbon principles of both ingredients and materials are put into practice, to promote organic spaces and local supply chains and become an exemplary model for friendly cuisine and sustainable environments.