Image Credit : Christine Wood Photography
Project Overview
Tian38 on Flinders Lane is an intricately detailed, cinematically coherent modern Chinese restaurant and bar, designed for visual and gastronomic entertainment of guests. The interior design seamlessly incorporates diverse elements of Melbourne industrial style with Chinese imperial elements, imbuing the space with sleekness and elegance, punctuated by unexpected but unpretentious oriental details.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Elvin Tan - (Director)
Shirley Wong - (Lead Interior Designer)
Katalia Pribadi - (Interior Designer)
JNT Building Co - (Builder)
Nhat Tran - (Project Manager)
Lighting Space - (Lighting Designer)
Mirvac - (Centre Management)
Project Brief
Tian38 started as an empty site and a big dream to create a cutting-edge Chinese venue, but one that truly embraces history and its location in a modern multicultural city. Tian38 needed an identity of its own, stepping away from the many cliché Chinese elements, to be unpretentious and super stylish.
The client brief was demanding, needing a generous open kitchen, live seafood tanks, and multiple distinct and private dining areas. A Flinders Lane location gave Tian38 an opportunity to show off, to grab attention and entice passers-by, but this needed to be balanced with privacy and intimacy for diners. As a building at the base of a multi-storey city building, it also came with constraints of access and light.
Materials were carefully chosen to balance luxury, impact, functionality and narrative. The oriental past is told through paintings, screens, moon gate and feature abacus. Vibrant tiles bring attention to the bar, with blood orange shelving, neon signage and a glowing tree bringing pops of colour, fun and modernity. Cohesion for the space comes from the layering of different high- quality material and textures; these elements bring true class that make guests feel like royalty.
Project Innovation/Need
At Tian38, layering is the underlying design theme that creates an evolving customer experience. Through careful selection of finishes, styles and elements, the space expands, stimulating emotions of tradition, but is still exciting and modern. Multiple spaces offer distinct experiences, with attention to detail that defines each. The clever use of floor elevation, screens, tables at different heights and spaces of different dimensions gives each guest a feeling of being in their own space, yet still part of the whole.
The interior design brings disparate elements together that are cleverly blended. The undeniable Melbourne style is juxtaposed with Chinese imperial elements, of ceramic, metal, glass and wood. Colours are carefully but fearlessly selected to punctuate, imbuing the space with sleekness and elegance, but fun and friendly.
A dialogue between oriental traditions and contemporary details define this new modern eatery – Tian38
Design Challenge
This design successfully juxtaposes styles and cultures, allowing each to shine, creating an experience of modernity and tradition. No style dominates and the combination fits seamlessly together. Tian38 interior takes elements from true opposite ends of the spectrum. It might possibly be one of the only spaces that includes traditional Chinese painting, gold screens, live fish tanks, an abacus, neon signage, handmade porcelain Chinese tiles, a moon gate and a synthetic tree. These synergistically build the interior and experience, yet without overpowering.
The courage in design results in a unique and evolving guest experience, where each space intrigues and delights.
Sustainability
Building sustainability was one of the main consideration during the design process. Recycled timbers were used to line the booth seats and wall paneling to help mitigate low energy. The client have engaged the Lighting Space as the lighting designer to specify energy efficient light fitting and all lights are equipped with dimmers. Where possible materials were locally sourced.
Interior Design - Hospitality - Luxury
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes, aesthetic presentation and functionality. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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