Thomas Chien and Luna Beach Club stand out for their architectural innovations, demonstrating that sustainability is increasingly present in the way we build.
Restaurants are clear examples of how architecture can be used to promote a more sustainable and environmentally friendly planet. More and more establishments are looking for kinder ways of building, in line with an ecological approach in their gastronomic proposals. Today we discover two restaurants that are leaders in this change and winners of the recent Restaurant & Bar Design Awards: Thomas Chien and Luna Beach Club.
Thomas Chien: elegance and design in Taiwan
Thomas Chien is a restaurant located in the Chinese city of Kaohsiung. Based on French cooking techniques and with a strong concern for sustainability and carbon footprint, it made it into the Michelin Green Guide. Its menus are based on seasonal and local ingredients, thus changing every month.
In addition, with every meal at the restaurant, diners support local farms and fishermen’s communities. Thomas Chien, the chef, explains: ‘My mission is to promote local production and support small local farms. We have been working with organic farmers since 2012, in order to protect the disadvantages of these producers. And whenever possible, we source ingredients from Kaohsiung and nearby areas. Together with non-profit organisations, we also give talks to promote food education and eco-awareness.
The architectural firm in charge of designing the restaurant, and winner of the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in the sustainability category, is TaG Living. We spoke to them and they explained that the restaurant is located 500 metres from the maritime-terrestrial border, with 80% of the materials used being eco-friendly.
Thomas Chien Restaurant. Editorial credit: Yuchen Chao.
The studio’s contribution was to reuse local waste such as oyster shells in non-concrete paintings that decorated the space. Similarly, ghost nets were recycled into organic carpets, and biodegradable materials from Taiwan were used to make hanging lamps. ‘All these efforts reflect a commitment to sustainability and harmony with the earth. Low carbon principles in ingredients and materials promoted a sustainable space in the world,’ the studio explains.
Luna Beach Club: relaxation and spaciousness in Bali
Luna Beach Club is a beach club created with the purpose of reimagining the experience of this type of place. It is designed in the shape of an amphitheatre and surrounded by lush nature and the spectacular Nyani Beach. An ideal setting to relax by the pool and watch the sunset in a setting bathed in stunning light shows.
Inspiral Architects is the studio in charge of designing this space in the province of Bali and winner of the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in the category of biophilic design. They tell us that their architecture combines elegance with the natural beauty of the coast.
The design emphasises the outdoor experience, with a semi-open space that invites sea breezes and natural light into every corner. Most significantly, though, it adopts a biophilic approach, with sustainability and inventiveness at the heart of the proposal. This is why the building is designed to grow from the ground up, with materials such as bamboo, SIP composite panels, natural stone, green roofs, recycled timber, basalt reinforcements and lime renders. All these materials have been combined and manipulated to create fascinating organic forms that undulate from side to side, providing shade, cover and a way to capture rainwater.
