KC Kitchen

Location :	Taipei, Taiwan / 台北市
Area :	260m²
Design Team :	Jill Yang, Paul Chiang, Y.C. Hong /楊珮珩江易書洪祐章
Type :	Commercial/商業
Status :	Completed 2009
Photographs :	K. M. Lee

KC其實就是一對熱愛原味美食的夫妻Kevin & Claire的縮寫。他們同時也是有線電視Good TV【健康新煮流】烹調主持人，以獨特的「無油」、「無水」、「無煙」烹飪方式，做出原味低脂的健康料理。做為推廣原味料理的烹飪基地，空間設計上也以簡單、原味為設計概念，運用活潑的色彩、極簡的空間為「KC Kitchen」定調。

整個室內空間為狹長型，空間處理上以不同層次的概念來整合平面配置及動線。平面配置分為前、中、後三個層次，前區為接待及商品展示空間；中央為KC示範廚房，設計概念將此區比擬為表演舞台，並涵蓋後廚備料區，使備料工作亦成為表演呈現的一部分；後段則為沙發及辦公空間。當空間層次定調後，從入口的鍋具展示區到地下室的儲藏及工作空間，回到一樓的中央示範廚房，所有空間都可被納為教學示範的場景。

呼應業主原味、健康食材的理念，立面外觀便以蔬菜木箱為設計概念，想像很多的食材被堆疊在KC Kitchen外等待著被送進內部料理。食材的整理及分類儲藏表現出此Studio的專業。空間入口刻意退縮並拉斜45度，營造出外觀的景深及拉長了展示櫥窗的面寬，另一方面，亦可停放車輛以方便食材可快速運送至地下室分類儲藏。

KC are the initials of Kevin & Claire, a gourmet couple, who host a “healthy food” program on Good TV where they have introduced low calorie food, without using cooking oil, water, and producing no smoke.「KC Kitchen」is both a restaurant and food studio, where they give classes to those who are interested in this healthy cooking style.

Designer Chung-Yeipointed that because of KC kitchen’s unique business model the initial discussion with the clients focused on discovering what would be the idea of “original cuisine” in concept and the difference from other cooking styles. After fully understanding the secret, he designed the space in a precise simplicity while using vivid colors to embellish the background.

The plan features a narrow rectangular shape; design strategy is to incorporate divided function in layering system. There are three spatial layers; the front is designed for product display and reception. The central area is KC kitchen’s core space – a cooking area situated like a stage. Food preparation is adjacent to the cooking zone and can be viewed as part of the cooking show. The rear section is office space. The spatial orientation for customers is arranged in a loop from the cooking ware display space to the basement where food is stored and displayed before it enters the KC kitchen.

The building’s façade appears like a vegetable wood box with vegetables to emphasize the food style that KC kitchen tries to promote. The entrance space is recessed at a 45 degree recessed zone to create visual depth and expand the display window dimension. The entrance design also offers convenient dislodging and quick access to the basement storage.