Stephen Kuo's Innovative Design: The Taipei Eros Hair Salon

Transforming Hair Salons: A Fusion of Art, Light, and Geometry

Stephen Kuo, a renowned designer, has revolutionized the concept of hair salons with his award-winning design, Taipei Eros. This innovative design, inspired by the gestures of hair-cutting, blends art, light, and geometry to create a unique, functional, and fashionable space.

Stephen Kuo's design for the Taipei Eros Hair Salon is a testament to his ability to integrate regional characteristics into his creations. The salon, painted in a whitewashed background, symbolizes the brand's pure motivation. The design is a translation of the gestures of hair-cutting into tangible, sculptural entities. Light plays a crucial role in this space, defining the threshold between the tangible and intangible realms, and serving as an index for circulation and division.

The unique properties of this design lie in its innovative use of geometry and color. The black, white, and grey colors transform the layers of the space, ensuring its functionality while enhancing its aesthetic appeal. The framed landscape becomes a diorama with flowing junctures of inside and outside, echoing the essence of hair design.

The realization of this design was achieved through the use of a triangular motif that shapes the functional cubes and planes from ceiling to floors. This was accomplished through the actions of piling, cutting, and sewing. The design also features light bars embedded in the dividing lines, contributing to numerous lighting belts that serve as supplemental lighting while solving the condition of the lowered ceiling.

The design of the Taipei Eros Hair Salon faced several challenges. One of the main challenges was to create a space that was stable yet dynamic. This was achieved through the juxtaposition of movement and stillness, which defines the singular dynamics of the hair salon. The reflection of the large mirror surface extends and meanders, shuttling freely between the planes and the three-dimensionality.

The project, which started in February 2016 and finished in June 2016 in Taipei city, was based on extensive research. As a leading brand among the hair salons, the physical space of the shop was treated as the embodied identity at the fringe of downtown Taipei. The design was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.

In conclusion, Stephen Kuo's design of the Taipei Eros Hair Salon is a brilliant fusion of art, light, and geometry. It is a testament to the power of innovative design in transforming everyday spaces into works of art. The design not only serves its functional purpose but also creates an environment that is aesthetically pleasing and inspiring. It is a perfect example of how design can elevate our experiences and enrich our lives.


Project Details and Credits

Project Designers: Stephen Kuo
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Yana Zhezhela / Alek Vatagin, Taipei EROS Hair Salon, 2016. Image #2: Photographer Yana Zhezhela / Alek Vatagin, Taipei EROS Hair Salon, 2016. Image #3: Photographer Yana Zhezhela / Alek Vatagin, Taipei EROS Hair Salon, 2016. Image #4: Photographer Yana Zhezhela / Alek Vatagin, Taipei EROS Hair Salon, 2016. Image #5: Photographer Yana Zhezhela / Alek Vatagin, Taipei EROS Hair Salon, 2016.
Project Team Members: Stephen Kuo
Project Name: Taipei Eros
Project Client: Stephen Kuo


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