In November 2023, the upscale restaurant brand Wanwea·Yuan under the Da Ya Li Restaurant Group quietly launched. DaQuan Wang from TANZO Space Design described the design process as somewhat painful like tough grass breaking through cracks. Still, the final result also reflects the name of the restaurant: Sketching an abstract, holistic beginning in a chaotic space, which becomes vivid and concrete as people enter.
However, emptiness does not imply desolation. The exceptional geographical location and environmental conditions have broadened the possibilities for architecture, allowing for perse interpretations of Wanwea·Yuan by different visitors after its completion. In collaboration with the Wild Garden, the interwoven interior and exterior courtyards, along with the main building, have redefined this plot of land, creating a life-like atmosphere around the river willows, as if nurturing the entire garden. The lawn, stepping paths, and water surface carve out a view of the courtyard that unfolds from near to far, from bottom to top—an intricate interplay of light and shade, blending and overlapping in an ethereal way.
As one moves through the courtyard, the distinction between Eastern and Western sensibilities is not immediately apparent. This stems from the designer's realization that the garden represents a forest-and-spring landscape, or perhaps an attempt to create a pine realm, without adhering to a fixed architectural style. This approach allows the courtyard of Wanwea·Yuan to transcend regional traditions, embodying a harmonious and expansive aura.
In Chinese history, the 'Classic of Mountains' forged paths through chaos, opening up the primordial void, cataloging rivers and mountains with a god-like perspective that encompassed both macro and micro views—capturing the universe yet also discerning the subtleties of all things. Perhaps it is because later generations have lost the heights once reached by the ancients, and with that, the vision they once possessed, relegating those landscapes to the realm of myths and legends.
Wanwea·Yuan aims to create a process that transports people into an enchanting realm. The 'imagined landscapes' are consistent throughout: the perilous terrains of Sichuan; the warm and resolute local customs; the lively and exquisite flavors; the marvelous and extraordinary natural sights... The space supports its multivalence and vigorous ambitions with broader, more imaginative vistas, embedding the brand and designer’s spiritual aspirations deep within the space.
Under the designer's 'chimney construction' instructions, the site workers completed the restaurant entrance’s upward-stretching wall structure. From this architectural embrace, resembling an unfurled scroll, one proceeds along the solid, clean walls, gliding over the slender water surface supported by grey bricks, to enter the orderly entrance.
Within human height and field of vision, the separation between inside and outside is minimized. Beneath one's feet lies the solid earth, while to one side stands a dark stone wall, robust and towering like mountain ranges. The broad eaves form a roof overhead, allowing the tides of light or rain to drip through the gaps between inside and outside.
On the other side, the white represents modern poetry juxtaposed against the desolate and primitive, both reflections intertwining—life and extinction, emptiness and fullness, the pine and the mundane, the nearby willows by the river and the distant high mountains, the clear sunlight and the scorching geothermal heat—all converging in this moment into a fervent contradiction that stirs intensely, then settles into a profound calm as one continues further in.
餐厅由多组尺度舒适、功能维度丰富的空间层层嵌套递进,体验是流动的,像一餐行云流水的盛宴。
The restaurant is composed of multiple groups of spaces, each with a comfortable scale and a rich functional dimension, progressively nested within one another. The experience is fluid, resembling a meal that flows smoothly like a feast of effortless elegance.
The handcrafted bar counter is made from approximately 386 kilograms of annealed copper, hand-hammered and shaped, creating a striking focal point that powerfully ignites the public area upon entry. Between the dark stone and mirrored surfaces, the elegant yet understated gold accents radiate gracefully.
The adjacent clean sunken area serves as a soft, musical pool, evoking the quiet serenity of a valley. The flowing curves of the booths resemble a brilliant cloudscape, with worshippers of Dionysus gathered atop the mountain, gazing down upon it from above. The sun and moon generously pour their radiant light upon it, while the ceiling's open apertures add a touch of pine contemplation.
自此向深处进入品酒区,由火至水的过渡埋藏了山海经中异兽的五行流转,形成一个平衡的能量空间。
From here, as one moves deeper into the wine-tasting area, the transition from fire to water encapsulates the cyclical flow of the Five Elements and mythical creatures from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, creating a balanced energetic space.
林立的酒柜将人们引入纵深的品酒区,室内在视线的远端转为覆玻璃屋顶的阳光房插入室外。
The towering wine cabinets guide people into the deeper wine-tasting area, where the interior transitions at the far end of the line of sight into a sunroom with a glass roof, extending into the outdoors.
The soft wooden walls, with their folds and creases, reflect a subtle warm light. Giant "leaf-shaped" structures, resembling Buddha's hand, emerge from within, casting shadows upon the ceiling. The swirling pine energy culminates at the far end, transforming into a large parametric metal leaf, rising and shimmering. The waves of accumulated power suddenly merge into the vast ocean of nature, returning to a state of tranquility.
The private room can be seen as an independent space, creating a path and a small world that can be explored on its own, interconnected with the tea room and deeper entertainment areas. The imagery of daylight and fire is central to the private room, where art transforms into profound colors, intricately crafted modern art, floating melodies, and the whispered shadows of creeping vines.
细致入微地看,并非所有细节都是清晰的,设计师用自己的方式控制空间在虚实之间的巧妙转化。
Upon closer inspection, not all details are clear-cut; the designer skillfully controls the subtle transformation of the space between the real and the imagined, using their approach to create a delicate interplay of presence and absence.
Through the entertainment area, the space suddenly dazzles. However, it does not merely follow a trend of visual spectacle; instead, it adorns entertainment with a grand, tranquil elegance. The designer meticulously cuts stainless steel into 100mm×100mm triangular pieces, which are then hand-welded and integrated with captivating materials and craftsmanship, covering both the façade and the ceiling.
The light source is placed on the ground, with the stainless steel "lake surface" eternally reflecting the people and scenes of the present moment. The cold, rational material elevates the transcendent and the sensory, creating another layer of surprise in the path that leads through the entertainment space.
The small banquet hall is shaped like the roof of a pagoda, with its wooden structure layering inward and outward in a stacked formation. Shadows of trees fall at an angle, addressing the issue of a low roof structure. Though it is not accessible from above, the interior, resembling a hollow space, can be viewed from below. The sky above is empty, and the immense idea within has soared upward, untethered.
The repeated connection between the architecture and the sky facilitates a dialogue between space and nature. Through the interplay of daylight and interior reflections, the scale and spirituality of the space transcend the limitations of its physical form. The dimension of time is thus introduced, and in moments of contemplation and stillness, the experience becomes boundless.
Thanks to the independent operation of the clubhouse, there are five real flames within Wanwea·Yuan Space. Abundance, purity, and生命能量 (vital energy) are concealed in the burning flames. In a certain sense, the space steps back to become a container, nature serves as the backdrop, and humans take center stage, with everything else acting as a supporting element—yet none can be omitted.
Joy, good fortune, auspiciousness... The designer and owner have named the nine private rooms using simple, auspicious phrases. In ancient times, when Du Fu entered Sichuan in winter, he marveled at the local "simplicity of customs, which brings a calm and comfortable state of mind." A thousand years have passed, yet the tranquil warmth embedded in the brand’s DNA remains the most captivating thread.
大包房连接茶室,可连通小露台和湖面,是一方温润净室,兼有内外的含义。
The tea room, connected to a small terrace and the lake, is a serene and soothing sanctuary, embodying both internal and external meanings.
In Designer DaQuan Wang's understanding, in addition to studying nature, landscape, and cultural context, he equally values understanding the client's needs, what is currently lacking, and how to capture that element that resonates and moves people.
For Wanwea·Yuan, it is neither Eastern nor Western. After more than four months of exploration and refinement, the space was developed: the polysemy of form, function, and spirit is realized here, where ancient imaginations and modern poetry come together to create an enchanting experience. The moments triggered by people within it are fleeting, yet they can also be endless.
If the space is as comfortable and captivating as the guests have described, continuously invigorating the area in the future, the designer will take great pride in it. For at the moment of completion, the space no longer belongs to the designer; it has become the river of life, achieving its own existence, flowing into the mountains and seas, merging with the natural universe.