Savor the Taste of Taiwan on a train. The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture
28/12/2022.
[Taiwan]
metalocus, ANDRÉS BLANCO
metalocus, ANDRÉS BLANCO
Just as many railway systems of the 20th century have become obsolete in different countries, in Taiwan the debate was generated about what the new designs should be like.
After an initial experience, J.C. Architecture was once again commissioned to propose a new design for a special train. Redesign three railcars with a restaurant program, public and private areas, bars and kitchens.
After an initial experience, J.C. Architecture was once again commissioned to propose a new design for a special train. Redesign three railcars with a restaurant program, public and private areas, bars and kitchens.
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
Rendering. The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture.
Floor plans. The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture.
Logo. The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture.
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
The Moving Kitchen Restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee
J.C. Architecture proposed to design the project by taking advantage of existing resources and proposing the reuse of old 70-year-old railcars, with a 54-traveller seating restaurant.
Given the characteristic position and circulation system of this train in Taiwan, in which the ocean is always on the same side and the mountain is on the opposite side, J.C. Architecture designed the entire project taking into account the opening to the sea or the vision of the mountains, proposing an asymmetric design throughout the project that brings the vision of the wood closer to the windows that overlook the mountain and generating a more neutral vision towards the ocean.
The moving kitchen restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee.
The moving kitchen restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee.
Given the characteristic position and circulation system of this train in Taiwan, in which the ocean is always on the same side and the mountain is on the opposite side, J.C. Architecture designed the entire project taking into account the opening to the sea or the vision of the mountains, proposing an asymmetric design throughout the project that brings the vision of the wood closer to the windows that overlook the mountain and generating a more neutral vision towards the ocean.
The moving kitchen restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee.
The moving kitchen restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee.
Project description by J.C. Architecture
In Feb 2019, the Taiwanese society criticized heavily an expensive yet unsightly new tourism train. For us, JC Architecture, instead of complaining, we wrote an open letter with encouragement and positivity to tell the Taiwanese society that Taiwanese designers can make a change. It led us to the opportunity to design Taiwan’s first-ever tourist train, “The Future,” eventually awarded the Japanese Good Design Award.
Recently, JC Architecture reimagined everyone’s impression of a train, building the first railway kitchen in Taiwan, named “The Moving Kitchen.” Its logo, “R,” stands for “Restaurant, Railway, Reimagination,” we want to create a language that connects the culture but also brings excitement with a new experience.
“The Moving Kitchen” is a 54-person seating restaurant that travels, including a full-size kitchen, bars, lounges, two-seater, and four-seater dining arrangements. Instead of buying a new train from foreign train design companies, the Taiwan Railway Administration allowed us to take the courage of using 70-year-old railcars, to refurbish the old heritage with new programmatic possibilities.
However, moving a restaurant onto the old train has its challenges, such as boosting three times the power to fit cooking requirements or redesigning the fixed chairs so getting in and out is comfortable. Besides, we took care to redesign the lighting system, highlighting the food, as well as complementing the scenery outside throughout the journey. A playable metallic sculptural light is also inserted into the train to create a floral sensation in the dining experience.
The moving kitchen restaurant by J.C. Architecture. Photograph by Kuomin Lee.
Unable to alter any train structural profile or insert beautiful skylight windows, through research, we noticed the unique character of trains in Taiwan. That is the train always travels the island with the mountain on the right side, and the ocean on the left side. To reflect on the beauty of both views, we created an asymmetrical ceiling design, to open the window bigger with black frames on the ocean side, while using the natural wood element to compliment the mountainside. With the same asymmetric design, we concentrated lighting, air-conditioning, and speaker system, into a single profile line, which also acts as a guide path to lead passengers throughout the train.
“We want to create the unique railway dining that you can only experience in Taiwan,” said the founder Johnny Chiu. We believe that it is for the first time in the 132-year-old Taiwan Railways Administration history, a new self-identity emerged to bring confidence and hope to an outdated 15,000-people company, and revive the conventional railway with innovative design policies on a national level.
More information
Architects
J.C. Architecture. Lead Designers.- Johnny Chiu, Nora Wang.
Project team
Macoto Zheng, Aaron Lee.
Builder
Taiwan Rolling Stock Company.
Area
3 Railcars.
Dates
2022.
Location
Taiwan.
Photography
Kuomin Lee.
Johnny Chiu. J.C. Architecture
J.C. Architecture is a multidisciplinary design firm, founded by Johnny Chiu and Nora Wang and led with Maria Isabel Lima, that projects include architecture, interior, industrial, visual design and jewellery design based in New York and Taiwan, collaborating with clients from various industries.
Their work has won several awards and competitions including USA Best of year, American Architecture Prize, Japan Good Design Award, Golden Pin Design Award, China I-ding International Award, Taiwan Interior Design Award, Taiwan Golden Pin Design, Golden Torch Award, FIABCI, Chinese Golden Stone Architecture Award, and NTPU Library Competition First Prize in 2008. JCA operates as a studio think tank, developing, researching and experimenting with methodologies for new possibilities.
Their work has won several awards and competitions including USA Best of year, American Architecture Prize, Japan Good Design Award, Golden Pin Design Award, China I-ding International Award, Taiwan Interior Design Award, Taiwan Golden Pin Design, Golden Torch Award, FIABCI, Chinese Golden Stone Architecture Award, and NTPU Library Competition First Prize in 2008. JCA operates as a studio think tank, developing, researching and experimenting with methodologies for new possibilities.
Categories
Our selection
