The restaurant design tells a parallel tale about Raw and how chef André’s food can be experienced. From the bustling streets of Taipei into the restaurant, diners step across a wooden path into a tranquil space welcomed by a lounge area which forms a gentle transition from the city. As guests enter the main space, the centralized dining area is surrounded by the wooden structure begun at the entrance. The wooden structure is the centrepiece of RAW, deliberately placed after examining the settings and dimensions, which is complemented by an interior that diners experience in stages.

Office, WEIJENBERG is currently working on a diverse range of projects across Asia. Camiel teaches part time at the National University in Singapore (NUS) and is setting up a research program at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). The office further engages in humanity projects alongside its core design work, further exploring the notion of ‘crafting the traditional’ and the relationship between structure and elements. WEIJENBERG strives to create a holistic design approach which touches on the various components and inter-relationship of a project while maintaining coherence to its physical and cultural context.

Founded in 1985, the Hasmore Restaurant Group has grown over the past thirty years from a single-unit operation in Taipei to an international restaurant group with projects throughout Asia. With a focus on quality brands, Hasmore has introduced market-leading concepts over a broad spectrum of consumer segments, catering to the varied tastes and changing needs of modern Taiwan and Asian diners. Hasmore now operates numerous world-class restaurant brands: Swensen’s Ice Cream, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Pâtisserie Sadaharu AOKI Paris, Universal Ramen Nagi, Shoun Ryugin by Michelin three-starred Seiji Yamamoto, and RAW by celebrated chef Andre Chiang. Hasmore strives to be “best in class” in its respective dining segments, and takes great pride in the lasting partnerships it has forged throughout the years with industry pioneers such as Earle Swensen, Ruth Fertel, Sadaharu Aoki, Satoshi Ikuta, Seiji Yamamoto, and Andre Chiang. Hasmore values the opportunity to introduce new standards of dining and cuisine to Asia, to raise the level of service and quality in the restaurant industry, and to professionally train, develop, and invest in its people. In the words of Hasmore Group President, Stanley Ko, “The 21st century has often been labeled the ‘Asia Century’; this is both a definition and a goal. Asia has so much to feature on many different levels, be it economic, social, or cultural. Hasmore wants to take the lead in setting new standards in our own industry, to represent the best in dining in the region and on the global stage”.