“Cha Chaan Teng” (茶餐厅) is a quintessentially Hong Kong experience but here exists at the IMM mall in Jurong East as an imported product of Hong Kong culture. We were wary of simply mimicking or over-referencing as it would only create a crass caricature. The approach was then to identify fundamental elements of a ‘Cha Chaan Teng’, and use them as the aesthetic currency of the design by reassembling those forms into the site. Wan Chai HK tea room epitomises our belief that a nostalgic or vintage product placed in a non-contextual environment should evolve and adapt to its new locale in order that it tailors to the tastes of its present audience.
