October 24, 2020

Text: Carlene Olsen

3+2 Design Studio Offers Narrative of Tea Traditions With Exhibition Space in Taiwan

The “Kae Cha Raw Material Exhibition” in Taiwan by 3+2 Design Studio in collaboration with tea-maker Kae Cha. Photography courtesy of 3+2 Design. 

The art of growing, making, and sipping tea is a centuries-old tradition—one that Kae Cha, a raw tea supplier and tea-maker based in the Mingjian Township in Nantou County, Taiwan, has mastered. To showcase Kae Cha’s products and farm-to-table process, the brand collaborated with 3+2 Design Studio—named for the firm’s postal code—to create the “Kae Cha Raw Material Exhibition,” which is part of a larger show in the region.  

The exhibition seeks to challenge the public’s perception of raw materials and sustainability through the use of wood, cement, soil, greenery, cotton, and linen. For the space, the design team took a modular approach, ensuring pieces can be easily disassembled and reused to minimize waste. “The overall concept of the exhibition is to incorporate the core values of the Kae Cha brand—being natural, being simple and adorned, and nurturing tea mountains—into the exhibition space so that visitors can feel the beauty and purity of Kae Cha,” the design team notes. 

As a nod to the beauty of the tea mountains and tea leaves, 3+2 Design installed sweeping canvas awnings overhead, reminiscent of tea drying yards used on the farm. Every element in the space speaks to the tradition of growing, harvesting, and processing tea. Even the peripheral walls are designed to symbolize the tea production process, which takes place day and night. “Various elements are utilized and carefully arranged to embellish the interior space, showcasing the culture and taste of tea,” the designers add. And with so many tea powders and leaves on display, it’s hard to resist staying for a taste. 

A long counter displays tea in its various forms. Photography courtesy of 3+2 Design. 
The peripheral walls are designed to symbolize the tea production process, which takes place day and night. Photography courtesy of 3+2 Design. 
Various materials, such as tea powder, tea leaves, and tea bags, are displayed on its countertop trays, where visitors can touch, see, smell, and taste the products. Photography courtesy of 3+2 Design. 
The canvas awnings resemble the tea drying yards used by tea farmers to evoke a sense of professional craftsmen at work. Photography courtesy of 3+2 Design. 

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