Beams of desert sun breaking between the mountains, entering the master bedroom suite. Modern Villa, Monte Sereno, Palm Springs, California, by Poon Design (photo by Lance Gerber)
Take ten minutes and get ten thoughts for your design project.
Besides architecture, these ten thoughts can apply to many other pursuits, from graphic design to gardening, from composing music to creating life itself. (All designs by Anthony Poon and/or Poon Design Inc.)
1. LIGHT
An entry hall welcomes the morning light. Residence G, Linea, Palm Springs, California, by Poon Design (photo by The Agency)
Luminosity, natural or artificial, places a static environment into motion.
2. PATTERN
Color bands of brick and concrete on the walls, with color bands of slate on the roof. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, by Anthony Poon (w/ HHPA, photo by HHPA)
Give your surroundings pace and tempo. Rhythm isn’t just for music.
3. COLOR
Shower tile: four shades of green glass tiles by Ann Sacks. S/B House, Encino, California, by Poon Design (photo by Poon Design)
Colors make surfaces recede or stand out. At turns, colors soothe and enliven.
4. CRAFT
Vaudeville signage and reclaimed wood planks, with blackened custom steel details. Mendocino Farms, Los Angeles, California, by Poon Design (photo by Poon Design)
A thoughtful, well-constructed project will last a lifetime, and even change in meaning over time.
5. TEXTURE
Textures of ground face and split face concrete block, vertical redwood siding and corrugated galvanized metal siding. Special Education classroom, Feather River Academy, Yuba City, California, by Anthony Poon (w/ A4E, photo by Gregory Blore)
Texture gives the body something to touch and the eye something to eat.
6. SURPRISE
A cow makes a surprising appearance, as well as vibrant wallcovering within. Arcadia Residence, Escena, Palm Springs, California, by Poon Design (photo by Lance Gerber)
Unexpected moments deliver flair and amazement. Predictable architecture is boring.
7. SCALE
A mix of scales: small classrooms within a big atrium. Herget Middle School, West Aurora, Illinois, by Anthony Poon (w/ A4E, photo by Mark Ballogg)
Grand scale is heroic. Small scale is intimate. Choose the appropriate scale for the activity in mind.
8. HUMOR
Two unlikely bright colors make up a stimulating composition. Roberto Lane, Bel Air, California, by Poon Design (photo by Anthony Poon)
Why can’t architecture have wit, irony and charm? It should.
9. COURAGE
Gateway to the city. Proposed new Reds Baseball Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, by Anthony Poon (w/ NBBJ, photo by John Lodge)
Chase your dreams. Don’t be timid. And it might take some guts and perseverance to get results.
10. PLEASURE
Private dining areas as glowing lanterns. Chaya Downtown, Los Angeles, California, by Poon Design (rendering by Biolinia)
Good design should challenge you and please you. Architecture might test you, but know that delight and satisfaction are close.
DIN TAI FUNG: I’LL TAKE TWO
January 15, 2016
Exhibition dumpling kitchen and chefs, Costa Mesa, California (photo by Gregg Segal)
For Michelin-rated restaurant, Din Tai Fung, Poon Design Inc. designed two locations, fit for what the The New York Times has called, “one of the Top Ten Restaurants in the World.” Our architecture showcases the essence of Chinese craft with thoroughly modern and seductively detailed spaces.
Though the Taiwanese clients possessed an appreciation for Asian design, this husband-wife team did not seek the predictably themed Chinese restaurant. Meaning, no golden dragons, no cartoonish calligraphy and no red silk curtains.
Lounge dining and plywood skylights, Costa Mesa, California (photo by Gregg Segal)
The cuisine at Din Tai Fung inspired Poon Design. Over 50,000 dumplings are painstakingly made each day per location. By hand.
Our architectural response is this: craftsmanship of elemental materials such as wood and stone, interpreted through contemporary fabrication.
Exhibition dumpling kitchen and circular motif, Glendale, California (photo by Gregg Segal)
At both California projects, South Coast Plaza in Coast Mesa and The Americana at Brand in Glendale, our centerpiece is the exhibition kitchen, which puts the artistry of the chefs on theatrical display. A circular design motif takes a cue from the bamboo steamers used to prepare the dumplings. A wood ceiling of halo-lit circles extends from the exhibition kitchen, folding down as a display wall of ceremonial vessels—from which the restaurants take their name: din (vessels). The circular theme repeats in milled white oak sheets laminated between layers of glass comprising the kitchen windows.
Central dining room with Turrell-inspired dome, Costa Mesa, California (photo by Gregg Segal)
The dramatic restaurant walls of stone slabs and wood planks contrast the highly detailed CNC-cut wood screens and water jet-cut, powder-coated aluminum panels. Dense patterns at the bottom of these screens provide privacy, while open patterns at the top allow in natural light.
Patio and exterior of central dining room, Costa Mesa, California (photo by Gregg Segal)
At 8,300 square feet and 200 seats, the Costa Mesa location features a lounge area of honed sandstone and Walnut plywood skylights, a dining room with a Turrell-inspired elliptical dome, walnut furniture custom designed by Poon Design, and a patio under a muscular steel canopy. Emanating from the exhibition kitchen, the shaped plaster ceiling echoes our restored 1960’s sculptural entry pavilion.
At 7,000-square-foot and 170 seats, the Glendale location additionally features heavily grained Oak planks, brass inlay Chinese characters, Juno limestone, black porcelain flooring, and custom oak and leather furniture.
top: Reception and plywood lamp shades, Glendale, California; bottom: Dining room with movable screens, Glendale, California (photos by Gregg Segal)
Poon Design explores artistry and craft, with our architecture also combining old and new. We acknowledge the legacy of the past, while embracing an exciting future.
