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Project Name: Jiangnan Xiaoyan Restaurant 江南晓宴餐厅
Design Agency: Yuanxi Creative Design 元熙创意设计
Chief Designer: Duan Yuan
Area: 1000㎡
Location: Shanghai, China
Completion Date: September 2022
"Strength, Art, Essence"
The Huaiyang cuisine restaurant, Jiangnan Xiaoyan, occupies the main area of the Luxembourg Pavilion. In the realm of art, form is a tangible artistic expression. The interplay of lines, surfaces, and conical shapes creates a rich tapestry of expressions, both static and dynamic, abstract and concrete.
Viewing architecture as the skeletal framework of a body, food can be metaphorically seen as the nourishing essence within the soft tissues, akin to the spleen and stomach. In Eastern aesthetics, "softness" and "hardness" are often seen as opposites, yet paradoxically, softness often embodies greater strength. With its ingenious and refined design, Jiangnan Xiaoyan resembles an art gallery, radiating modern simplicity and elegance throughout.
The Power of Metaphor
At the intersection of moving pathways, the inner corridor harnesses irregular dynamics to enclose a separate art installation area. "Pyramids" rising from the floor and those suspended from the ceiling are invisibly connected by a metaphorical magnetic field, mirroring each other in a correspondence that serves as a tangible metaphor for power.
The essence of Huaiyang cuisine embodies the quintessence of "gentleness," characterized by its delicacy and grace, akin to the softness of water, yet it reveals an endless, boundless strength.
Plastic Arts
Effectively integrating interior and exterior goes beyond the continuation of language and elements; it importantly respects the structural conditions of the site. The gradually tapering exterior facade lends the interior a bold and vivid structure. The rough, inherently ordered steel framework stands on its own yet resonates with the faceted, hammered metal of the facade, creating a dialogue. This interplay, under the influence of different material textures, permeates the interior, resulting in a richly articulated facade expression.
The meticulous details in the hall's nodes reveal themselves amidst the subtle flow of the facade, where the intricate design not only serves as decorative expression but also subtly resonates with the culinary artisans of Huaiyang cuisine, who revere the craftsmanship of knife skills.
Graceful Commotion
The distinctive character of art shares a subtle harmony with the development, integration, and evolution of Huaiyang cuisine, known for its "freshness, meticulous craftsmanship, refreshing colors, and innovative shapes." Jiangnan Xiaoyan, passionately presented by the Shanghai Pujiang Hui Catering Group, roots itself in traditional Huaiyang cuisine while embracing Jiangnan's culinary fusion. Set against the backdrop of the Huangpu River, it offers a timeless taste experience that narrates the evolution of flavors, the passage of time, and the symphony of tastes that dance between the stove and the hearth.
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