Missing a city that is not living there, the memory may come from a flavor, a scene, or a feeling mixed by some experiences.
When the designer of PINN Work Design received the invitation to design a cha chaan teng which is located in Hui Zhou, a question came into his mind——how to strike a chord with diners through combining the dining experience with the humanity and life of Hong Kong? He found the answer from the brand icon “Xiong Da Da”. The design concept is the main character “Xiong Da Da” traveling in Hong Kong, it demonstrates this dynamic city and lets diners enjoy the unique glamour of Hong Kong.
Concrete and Oasis-Skyscrapers are everywhere and the density of the buildings is high in Hong Kong. Interestingly, it takes several minutes to arrive at an oasis in this concrete jungle. The “concrete and oasis live together” phenomenon inspired the designer. He set up a big-scale sculpture of the main character in the entrance. A cluster of tropical plants is growing on a concrete table. This spectacle is a common practice of city design in Hong Kong. Tropical plants also mean a space for taking a breath. Everyone desires to rest and take a deep breath while citizens are rapid in doing everything.
The Changing Light and Shadow-The sky color is changing from daylight to twilight. When nightfall comes, Choi Hung Estate, a public housing complex looks gorgeous and attractive in its special facade with rainbow coloring. The designer brainstormed the design idea from this fascinating scene and the interaction between light and shadow at night. When the sky is changing to dark, the hong kong-style signboards in various colors are lightening up. They exist in the gap among the skyscrapers, the old streets with tenement houses, and the crowded downtown. The beams from modern LED signboards and traditional neon signs harmoniously cross in the shadow. It becomes a distinctive sight. The designer well-blended the light, shadow, and colors of the cha chaan teng to heighten the atmosphere. Each light and beam can be regarded as an ingenious work.
Humanistic Spirit-The concrete feature wall with a circular design, along with tangerine light, looks like the setting sun, but it is not. It is a circular sign from a popular public playground. In the flourishing city, citizens not only love the buildings with magnificent facades. The plain public housing with lovely people and culture are respected as well. The designer applied metal mesh and concrete walls, which are symbolic of the magnificent and plain sides of the city, to express the endlessness of the humanistic spirit of Hong Kong.
Attitude Towards Life-The Chinese words pronounced in Cantonese “Fei Sha Zou Naai“ are made of traditional neon lights. It is the lingo from cha chaan teng, and accentuates Hongkongers’ attitude towards life. No matter the grassroots or the rich, everyone has the right to choose how much sugar and milk to be added, even just to order a cup of ordinary coffee. Milk tea, cold lemon tea, or red bean fleecy, all can be custom-made. A Hong Kong-style drink has the power to prove the glamour of cha chaan teng. The designer set the sign, which represents the neon light culture of old streets, as the focal point. Therefore, to attract diners to understand the meaning of this lingo, and explore the depth of a cha chaan teng.
