A-M-B-E-R

FSOARK - LUXURY HOME AND DESIGN SHOW

An asymmetric caesura opens toward a moment of stillness. The amber glow from the hearth warms up the granite pavers, which define the boundary of a semi-enclosed pavilion. Nested in a sports arena, the pavilion opens onto the fabric sky through a sliver along the central axis. It is a space surrendered to light: when the day is spent, the amber ascends, and darkness fades into the deep. The tea master and the guests sit cross-legged in the continuity of this deep horizon, searching for the moment between solemn ritual and sensuous discovery.

A-M-B-E-R is a tea pavilion designed exclusively for the ceremony conducted by tea master David Tsay, and doubles as a tea-ware exhibit space for wood-fired pottery master Chengtai Tian, both are well-known artisans in Taiwan and China. The exaltation of the tea pottery is a manifestation of the wood fire kiln technique, an ancient method that demands direct, physical engagement with the intensity of fire. Subject to repeated scorching, and the consummation with wood ash deposit, the clay develops a unique sheen unmatched by artificial glazing, all the more enriched by the amber warmness suspended from within. This project is a proposition for the facade of a tea pavilion conceived for a trade show under the theme of the Italian Renaissance. The Chinese tea is not yet properly introduced to the Italian society of the era, combining these two references turned out to be an uncertain challenge...

Project Team: Imu Chan - Architect | Olivia Alvarez - 3D and Scale modelling | Alek Rokosz - Render and facade vinyl