PIG Design

Project name｜WILDBACK
Location｜Hangzhou, China
Area｜476㎡
Client｜Hangzhou Cuihuhan Investment Co., Ltd.
Design company｜PIG DESIGN
Website | pigdesign.art
Chief designer｜Li Wenqiang
Design team｜Yang Zhiwei, Shen Taotao
Construction firm｜Hangzhou Dianchang Decoration Design Engineering Co., Ltd.
Lighting design｜Yaank
Furniture design｜PIG DESIGN
Props design｜Zhejiang Deyao Metal Products Co., Ltd.
Logo production｜Jump Time Signage
Main materials｜Stone, exposed aggregate, recycled wood board, metal, paint
Photography｜Qi Shuoqian
Visual effects｜Qian Chaofan
Design time｜February 2023
Completion time｜August 2023

"The cafes in the city and the footprints left in the mountains and forests both represent the wonderful aspects of modern life. I often find myself lost in between these two worlds."
——Li Wenqiang

Since its founding, PIG DESIGN has been dedicated to researching and promoting naturalness and timeliness in all its projects. Regardless of the project scale and type, PIG DESIGN harnesses the power of design to create environments that foster vitality, sunshine, memory, and fun, thus reshaping the possible connections between nature and business, culture, community, and city.

Featuring an outdoor lifestyle, WILD BACK is nestled between the serene West Lake and the lively city, offering a different realm for patrons. The natural elements of stones, grassy slopes, and mountains come together to create a wilderness oasis. Exploring the untouched camping ground, visitors will feel like embarking on an exciting hiking trip, filled with anticipation and discovery.

City Outdoor, rediscover the wildness of nature
Located on the front street of the commercial complex Huanglong World Trade Center, WILD BACK covers an area of 2,000 square meters, establishing itself as a new outdoor landmark in Hangzhou. With its wide range of diverse outdoor lifestyle experiences such as food, equipment, and activities, WILD BACK embraces innovative business models that are future-proof and it strives to encourage people to connect with nature and awaken their inner selves.

SNOW PEAK, a renowned Japanese brand in the outdoor industry, has established an outdoor equipment store in this location. SNOW PEAK's mission to foster a reconnection with nature and humanity aligns perfectly with WILD BACK's advocacy for urban nature. Together, these two brands create a sense of community with the friendly value and identity of embracing the natural world.

PIG DESIGN has successfully completed the landscape, interior, and furniture design for the GRILL&EATERY Western Restaurant of WILD BACK, which continues the outdoor spirit of SNOW PEAK and the wilderness theme of WILD BACK. The project showcases a unique shift in design, yet it stays true to PIG's previous creations by incorporating nature as a theme.

GRILL&EATERY of WILD BACK strives to establish an unspoiled natural haven within the urban landscape and seeks to make necessary adjustments to the overly refined and polished aspects of modern living. The wilderness represents an unaltered state, showcasing the true essence of nature. It is a realm brimming with challenges and mysteries, offering profound significance to life's journey.

Moreover, charcoal grilling offers a unique dining experience that takes people back to the original relationship between humans and fire. The "outdoor" has been regarded as an aesthetic proposition beyond its functions in this project. When dining in a restaurant surrounded by nature, one can truly feel a sense of symbiosis with the environment. The overall design of the project aims to create a narrative of dining in the wilderness.

Naturally growing, more randomness less plan
The design's flexibility is fused into commercial buildings, which are typically considered the most "worldly" types of buildings. The inclusive public courtyards imbue new meaning into the space, making it a micro-landscape that gently transitions between the building and the city. This not only facilitates visual communication but also creates an ideological presence.

The dwarf wall, adorned with the brand logo, serves a dual purpose. It not only adds aesthetic appeal to the landscape but also acts as a symbolic representation of a miniature station for pedestrians to rest. Placed on the ground, it subtly hints at the entrance. The pavilion and corridor area resemble the rain-sheltering eaves one might come across while exploring the outdoors. The 1.4-meter extension facilitates a gradual and gentle introduction of both rain and sunlight.

Folding windows offer a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors, while also allowing for natural regulation of the indoor microclimate with the changing seasons. In WILD BACK, the interior features large rocks resembling cliffs, with branches extending from the sides. The branches and leaves are densely covered with foliage at random, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere in a small area.

The interior design of the space aims to maintain the existing architectural structure and textures while highlighting the natural imprints that time has left. The furniture, including the custom-made tables and chairs, is reminiscent of piles of firewood to convey simplicity, roughness, and a casual ambiance. The wine rack on the bar is made of large sections of wood combined with light strips, creating a three-dimensional effect through the reflection of the light and stainless steel.

A sense of roughness, fueled for design
Li Wenqiang, a self-proclaimed "unorthodox designer", prioritizes the meaning of the project itself. He avoids conformity and values originality, ensuring that he can convey a unique narrative that cannot be easily replicated. The project concept began with a hand-drawn organic variant of a dining table, which led to the discovery of a dining atmosphere that is in harmony with nature. From there, the design logic of the entire space was developed.

The ruggedness of the environment enables us to unleash our vitality and foster genuine connections. WILD BACK satisfies the longing for the outdoors and provides an opportunity to reconnect with nature and simplicity, away from the complexities of identity and past experiences. Embracing discomfort in nature allows us to appreciate true comfort. By avoiding superficial mediocrity and embracing the freedom of "undefined" design, PIG DESIGN strived to break down barriers of social class and recognition. This "cross-over" approach could also bring people together through cross-over resonance, fostering a sense of unity.

The SNOW PEAK Field Suite Spa, designed by the renowned architect Kengo Kuma, boasts a unique "wildness" that seamlessly connects the indoors and outdoors with 20,000 pieces of logs. This inner openness is also evident in the WILD BACK's "cabin in the woods" structural form. The wine cellar, made with old wood that has been weathered over time, resembles a cabin crafted by the designer himself casually, creating a striking contrast.

"The artistic insight involves a sensitive perspective that takes into account specific life states and seeks to create intuitive forms that align with human ecology." Perhaps the function itself can be transformed into beauty. By avoiding redundant lines and exaggerated shapes, PIG DESIGN has skillfully utilized utensils to create subtle touches, objects, and perceptions. This approach has allowed them to divide and define the space, presenting the material in its most authentic and optimal state.

Brand upgrading has the potential to enhance the value of a company. However, the challenge lies in the form of effectively connecting with and captivating consumers through brand space. PIG DESIGN proposes that the success of brand space is ultimately determined by individuals' experiences, intuition, creativity, and imagination. WILD BACK emphasizes the innate human desire to connect with nature and cohabitation, thus empowering sustainable development.