Hidden behind the crimson, the ritual built by the passage of time slowly unveils to the guests. Located in the bustling district with more than hundred years of history, the property, with its subdued entrance, echoes the entrenched inference to the past.
The owner of Maison Wang is an importer and distributor of wines from the Bourgogne region in France. The concept for the project is to establish an specialized wine storage and a venue for tasting and fine dining. The exterior impression must be an obscure corner in a metropolitan and the interior ambiance a discovery of hidden opulence with the 35 m depth.

Inspired by the pun of Maison Wang and King’s Residence, Create + Think Studio’s design bridges the grandeur of the palaces and mansions of Chinese royalty of the past to the architectural layers of crimson of the project, alluding to the opulent lifestyle of the aristocracy class. To present the most dramatic first impression for the guests, the original stair case is moved to the back atrium for establishing the canvas for a painting of symmetry. Pushing through the crimson doors, the dark color foyer frames the focus on the space beyond with intense color expanding into the depth. High grade wine cellars line both sides of the hallway with a clean and clear line subtly accentuating the central axis of the space.

Through minimizing the traces of modern design, the atrium and second floor retain much of the original look, as Bourgogne’s philosophy to allow the essence to shine.Some of the interior window frames are changed to 90 degree window, improving cross ventilation with the most subtle touch. Atrium serves as the pivoting point of the space, tearing off the old roof and installing skylight to bring in natural light. During the demolition and survey of the stucco walls, the original brickwork was revealed, with chiseled marks decorating its geological contours.

The second floor is also divided into front and back halves by the atrium. The front is the open dining area, showing off the hundred year old structural craftsmanship, provides the stage for the theatrical scene for the deep axis against the imposing height.
On the other side of the atrium is VIP lounge. Due to the required privacy of the area, it is not suitable to leave ceiling of the lounged completely open. Alluding to the octagonal chamber above, same pattern is built into the wood floor. Looking up, one can see the original wooden structure of the ceiling whereas looking down, one can see the interpretation and cohesive volume of the design.

To maintain the allure and of the mysterious and restrained aesthetics of the space, light source is only used to accentuate het vertical facade. The soft lighting is an integral part to magnify all the sense during the experience. At Maison Wang, anything new comes from the bat result of the past’s indulgence. The best experience requires the time spent here to fully appreciate the flavor.