Warm Hot Pot: A Culinary Journey Through Design

Chung Chun Huang's Award-Winning Restaurant Design Combines History, Culture, and Appetite

The Warm Hot Pot restaurant is a flagship store, a step up from the client's previous Taiwanese hot pot store. The client desired a completely different interior space that would reflect the brand's image and offer customers a unique experience. Huang chose black as a primary color to establish the grandeur of the flagship store.

Breaking away from the traditional association of the ocean with the color blue, Huang used warm apricot yellow to interpret the warm color tone of the restaurant's name, Warm Hot Pot. This choice not only established the restaurant's unique character but also distinguished it from the market. According to color psychology, both red and yellow can stimulate the appetite, adding another layer of thoughtfulness to the design.

The restaurant features local seafood from Keelung, and the design reflects this. Huang deconstructed the image of waves and represented them with warm yellow curtains in an arc style on the ceiling. This design choice serves as a connection to the memory of the harbor and ocean, and a fresh aesthetic interpretation. It twists the traditional impression of white spray and blue waves at the harbor, adding brand identity to the commercial space and acknowledging Keelung's status as the largest harbor in northern Taiwan.

The design also incorporates elements of local history. The floor from the entrance to the dining area is paved with Spanish ceramic tiles, a nod to Keelung's Spanish colonial period in the 17th century. The tiles guide customers inward and provide a visual extension, creating an interaction in the space flow and a connection between the local people and their past.

One of the challenges Huang faced was how to highlight the flagship store and assist the branding through interior design. The solution was to choose dark and black colors, supported by warm yellow and natural images such as ocean waves, wood patterns, and green plants. This created a style space that combines modern urban and Japanese humanistic situations, meeting the needs for brand uniqueness and a warm, comfortable dining atmosphere.

Chung Chun Huang's design for the Warm Hot Pot restaurant is a testament to the power of thoughtful, innovative design. It not only creates a unique dining experience but also connects customers with the local history and culture of Keelung. It's no wonder that this design was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020.