WILD ROCKET
COMPLETED
FUNCTION: F&B, Restaurant
AREA: 120 m2
LOCATION: 10A Upper Wilkie Rd, 228119, SINGAPORE
AWARDS: World Architecture Festival 2015, Small Projects Category, Short-listed
The new WILD ROCKET has a little story behind it. Its founder, Chef Willin Low, was studying law overseas when he began his culinary career hosting and cooking for homesick friends. His experience gave us the idea of modelling the new Wild Rocket after the traditional Japanese teahouse (chashitsu), a space which the Japanese built to host guests for tea gatherings.
Wild Rocket has transformed over the years from a local restaurant to a place that is representative of “modern Singapore cuisine” that is deserving of a space (or building) of its own. This was addressed by a wooden lattice structure, featured both inside and outside the restaurant, which contrasted with the postmodern architecture of the Hangout Mt Emily Hotel to allow Wild Rocket to be differentiated.
Before entering Wild Rocket, you will be greeted by the garden path (roji) expressed with compressed layers of fabric. The path bends and is lifted to give the entrance a sense of reduction in aperture (nijiriguchi, or “crawling- in entrance”).
Once in the restaurant, you will notice the intricate timber lattice structure which is a modern take of the material typically used in a chashitsu. The 500kg concrete bar counter top was casted on-site and the handmade ceramic lamps by Mud Rock Ceramics were textured using potato peelers. There are a few clever designs as well. The tables are designed with cutlery drawers to help manage manpower demands. The sliders are waxed so that the drawers slide out smoothly–an added touch of fine craftsmanship for a quality dining venue. The bar counter features custom designed hooks underneath it for bags.
The alcove (tokonoma) becomes a private room that has its space extend to infinity expressed through a “tunnel perspective” door feature. The chef’s, and host’s, preparation space (mizuya) sits prominently in the center framed in timber, and a large earthen concrete plane forms the serving counter.
Secondly, Wild Rocket has transformed over the years from a local restaurant to a place that is representative of “modern Singapore cuisine” that is deserving of a space (or building) of its own. This was addressed by the wooden lattice structure, featured both inside and outside the restaurant, which contrasted with the postmodern architecture of the Hangout Mt Emily Hotel to allow Wild Rocket to stand out.
This lattice structure is an ingenious geometric construction which formed using only a single timber batten module organized in a helix algorithm which generates seven different planar directions. With multiple, non-linear load transfer, it forms a rigid network of spiraling timber battens array that can be accumulated infinitely. It features 15,000 pieces of wood and is designed to contrast to the greatest possible degree with the existing two-plane post and beam structure in terms of structural logic. Formed using a helix algorithm with seven different planar directions, it took six workers a total of four weeks to complete.
The algorithm is so challenging that it takes awhile for a worker (and viewer) to get use to its pattern and to recognize it. When more layers are added, the pattern becomes more intricate. This is possibly the first 7-axis lattice ever built. You may find the lattice stunningly complex but on closer examination you will discover that its logic is incredibly simple and comprises only a single module! It is an experimental, and like how Willin marries different and sometimes unlikely flavours together, we have found a new way of assembling timber battens. The end result is a “nest”, as Willin endearingly calls it, complements the restaurant’s new approach to serve an omakase menu, which allows the chef to experiment with recipes, techniques and ingredients.
Image Gallery
CREDITS
CLIENT: Chef Willin Low
PHOTOGRAPHY: Mindy Tan, Derrick Lim