A Teahouse in the Mountains
Nestled high up in the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan and designed by Nano Lucky Interior Design, Tryngoal Teahouse is a two-storey bolthole dedicated to the art and appreciation of tea
Design Anthology: Can you tell us about the client and how you met them?
Pu Lin: The client, Ray, is a second-generation tea farmer, and him and his wife have a love for mountains and nature. They wanted to stay in Zhangshuhu, raise their children there and continue the family’s tea farming legacy. Ray was inspired by the coffee shop in the Japanese TV show Yasashii Jikan and wanted his teahouse to be similar, so he found us online and we began working together on a metal teahouse inspired by the one in the show.
What was the brief to you for the project?
Ray and his wife wanted a contemporary two-storey wooden house with a facade of metal sheets. The petite 55-square-metre space was to include a first-floor tea bar and reception area, as well as a second-floor space for traditional tea ceremonies, including a Japanese-style raised floor and tea preparation area, all with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and valleys. They wanted to use old timber from Ray’s father’s home, so we repurposed it in the indoor spaces. Integrating the old with the new led to us to refashion the old timber into cabinetry, doors and the tea ceremony table. In doing so we fused the teahouse with the family’s spirit and history.
Please tell us a little about the material choices for the structure and interiors.
This place really merges old and new elements. The structure itself is made of steel I-beams and wood, with a facade of corrugated sheet metal. Inside, we used plenty of natural wood. On the ground floor, shelving is made from repurposed planks hung with modern industrial hardware. Gold-trimmed chairs and brass touches are used throughout, as is a combination of antique and new hardware. We designed the custom-made tables and shelves using the salvaged timber, and we also designed the tables upstairs.
Do you have a favourite element or design detail in the architecture or interiors?
My favourite part of the design is the abundance of outdoor space. The outdoor seating areas are the perfect way to get close to nature and enjoy a good cup of locally grown tea.
Images / Shih-Chan Huang
