RAW BY WEIJENBERG FEATURES ORGANIC WOODEN SCULPTURE

A restaurant in Taipei that artfully combines design and gastronomy

Located in Taipei, Taiwan, RAW brings together the culinary creativity of the renowned Chef Andre and the artistic interior styling of the Singapore-based architecture firm WEIJENBERG. The space is designed to create a sense of intimacy with all of the focus being placed on Chef Andre’s gastronomic delights. Overhead lighting softly spotlights the plates, positioning guests as a rapt audience to a culinary show.

The interior is entirely void of restrictive partitions; the architects wanted to create an open space that would allow for the free expression of Chef Andre’s creativity. A free-flowing wooden sculpture takes the place of partitions, serving as storage, a wine cellar and bar space.

The sculpture combines craftsmanship and technology. Specialized 3D computer software was used to design the form, but local craftsmen were solicited for the construction. The entire project was made in Taiwan using Taiwanese Soft Wood which was cut using traditional shipbuilding techniques. Because of Taipei is in a seismically active zone, FEM (Finite Element Method) was used to calculate the load on the ceiling sculpture. It is suspended with double anchor points on each node that are then internally reinforced with steel and braced diagonally to prevent lateral swing in case of an earthquake.

With its organic elegance, the sculpture represents the restaurant’s entire identity and the merging of gastronomy and design. The grain of wood and curving forms change from every angle, so as the architect stated, “You can dine at RAW many times and never have the same seat or view.”