"WABI SABI" or "beauty in imperfection" for the new CSFC HQ

Tea, has become the essential part of everyday life in Taiwan over the last few decades of popularization, modernization and even evolution. Today with more than 25 thousand tea shops in almost every corner of Taiwanese cities, the culture of drinking tea has been transformed from once sacred or even ceremonial in ancient times to now widely affordable and trendy for everyone to enjoy from. The design of CSFC headquarter was inspired by the Japanese philosophy “Wabi-Sabi” which is often associated with tea culture and defined as “beauty in imperfection”. Such ideology represents quality of peace, serenity, goodness and respect for all living things. Since Tea Ceremonies were usually held in the form of “Wabi-Sabi” setting, the concept of “a house inside a garden” becomes the most prominent theme throughout the entire project. To perform the concept of “a house inside a garden,” five sets of houses were created and stacked on top of each other in this headquarter building. Each of these houses features a three-story-tall “garden” in the middle of its massing. These “gardens” not only improve the spatial quality of work environment but also provide direct visual connection to the floors across, below and above. The Lobby Gallery on the first stack of houses features a museum-quality space with a spiral staircase for visitors to enjoy an overview of both permanent and temporary exhibition throughout the course of a year. The second stack of houses is comprised of 3 floors in total (2F, 3F, 4F). It features a large gathering space and a display area on the second floor. The Administrative and Design Department take up the third and fourth floor respectively. The design of central “Garden” was intended to hold training sessions for its franchise representatives from around the globe. The third stack of houses (5F, 6F, 7F) is filled with Accounting offices, Managerial Offices, a conference room and an Art Gallery. High level executive officers are also located in this stack where they can perform board meetings and receive important customers. The central “Garden” of this stack was designed to showcase art collection and reflects the core brand values. The fourth stack of houses (8F, 9F, 10F) is programmed for recreational purpose. It contains fitness area, movie theater, snooker room and banquet halls. The central garden serves as a social space where people mingle and celebrate with special occasions. The fifth stack of house is a 13.5 meters-tall space with a bowl-like auditorium which can sit about a hundred people and hold various company-wide events with focus in art, design and culture related agenda. Last but not the least, The Roof Terrace, was designed to create a Wabi-Sabi ambience with a peace of mind for all the staff and guests to enjoy from. It features a Zen garden with white sand and moss landscape for the feeling of calmness and serenity. In conclusion, CSFC Headquarter is a manifesto of art and culture addressing the history of tea and its influence in space and architecture.