Herbal Tea Garden: A Unique Blend of Design and Tradition

Patrick Sarran's Innovative Infusion Cart Wins Golden A' Design Award

The Herbal Tea Garden, a unique creation for the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, is a testament to Patrick Sarran's innovative approach to design. The trolley, designed for performing the tea ceremony, was inspired by the poetry of Asian elements and the standardized components of Sarran's K Series. The K Series, a range of different but related carts, includes the KEZA, the Km31, the Kvin, the Sweet-Kit, and the Kali.

Sarran's design is unique in its incorporation of natural elements. The top of the trolley features soil, plants, water, and stones arranged as if in a Chinese landscape painting. The trolley was designed using standardized solid oak components, allowing for an economy of scale. The top is made of hard waterproof black quartz, cut by digital milling, while the water tank and plant pots are made of Krion Solid Surface.

The Herbal Tea Garden is not just a functional piece but also a sensory experience. The waiter rinses the leaves in the tank, crushes them with a mortar, prepares the infusion, and sweetens it with honey. The slow, deliberate actions, combined with the strong aromas of the fresh plants, create a meditative end to a meal.

The project, designed in Toulouse in 2014, was modeled in 3D software in two weeks. The client approved the photo-realistic picture but requested a change in the material of the top, initially white Solid Surface, to black. This change, though initially unplanned, added to the overall aesthetic of the design.

The Herbal Tea Garden was awarded the Golden A' Design Award in 2017, a testament to Sarran's innovative design and the trolley's unique features. The award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.

In conclusion, Patrick Sarran's Herbal Tea Garden is a unique blend of tradition and innovation. Its design re-uses the codes developed by Sarran in his K Series trolleys, influenced by Chinese landscape painting, and is a testament to his ability to create functional, beautiful, and award-winning designs.