CASA TALIA Restaurant / CAA Architects

Curated by 韩双羽 - HAN Shuangyu

Architects: CAA Architects
Area: 300 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs:Felix Amiss, Zhuoying Ren, Edward Ednilao
Lead Architects: Haowei Liu
Structural Consultant: Beijing Zhongdihengcheng Architectural Design Co. Ltd
Engineering: CAA Architects
Landscape: CAA Architects
Consultants: Ya Xin Architectural Decoration Co.Ltd

Text description provided by the architects. Casa Talia is situated at the void space between the podium and tower of the central atrium of Parkview Green which is visible from all four floors of the mall. It is composed of an outer terrace along with an interior space. The terrace towers seven meters off the floor and offers a panoramic view of the hustle and bustle of Parkview Green.

In ancient Hebrew, the word “Talia” signifies the dew of the heavens. Because of the restaurant’s Spanish heritage as well as its special location, CAA decided to integrate a surreal spatial expression with a Mediterranean style of environmental consciousness to its design.

CASA TALIA Restaurant / CAA Architects - Interior Photography — © Felix Amiss

When people enter this radiant public space from different entrances, they’ll be able to marvel at this new-born installation. Walking into the interior of the restaurant, it’s as if one had entered a mysterious section of a grand religious sanctuary. The concrete skeletal structure forms a novel spatial system, interwoven with numerous layers, each with its own fantastical element.

CASA TALIA Restaurant / CAA Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs — © Zhuoying Ren

CASA TALIA Restaurant / CAA Architects - Interior Photography, Bathroom — © Zhuoying Ren

This mysterious spectacle does not only employ simply arcs, but rather utilize elegant complex curvatures to render and connect its ceiling, walls, and ground. The lighting hidden in the structure of its skeleton illuminates the surrounding textures. It unveils the alluring paradox between the concrete and corrugated metallic forms flaunting the contrast between the light and the dark as well as the warm and the cool. Although this symmetrical church-like structure dons only black, white, gray, and gold, it still offers a rich and fulfilling dining experience. From the cozy sofa, people are able to fully admire the majestic rotating staircase of the outer terrace.

In the design of the terrace, CAA allows a flower of life to bud and bloom on the platform, transforming the single-floor structure into to a double-decked terrace. Through a small spiral staircase, you can ascend to the palm of the flower, which has a completely different special experience as the spaces below. The flower of life allows people to enjoy a panoramic view of Parkview Green’s commercial and public art zones while under the rain-like lights descending from the roof. In addition, varying amounts of natural light penetrate the space throughout the day, rendering the space in a different way. This variation of the combination between natural and artificial light generates a unique experience from through dusk till dawn.