The Tea Factory: Into The Spout | Interior Design Thesis

Site Context

The site of the intervention has been chosen as a historic shophouse in Penang, Malaysia’s vibrant city centre. Instead of doing standard site studies and making analysis boards, the students’ inspiration was interpreted through a series of drawings of their findings for the site context.

Six A1 drawings in all were created by hand with the intention of educating viewers about tea and offering a speculative interpretation of a teahouse. The students used these drawings as a starting point for their brainstorming sessions to begin visualising potential interior design elements, spatial programming, and other ideas.

As per the student’s perspective, a teahouse is a place that evokes memories of Penang’s past and its rich tradition of uniting people. The goal was to create a space where learning and meaningful activities are prioritised, where spending time with loved ones is valued, and where mental health is the main focus. Just as in the past, this area will serve as a haven where individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and faiths can congregate, laugh, participate in interactive educational activities, and experience stimulation of their five senses—taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch.

The teahouse is envisioned with hanging bottles, tea infusing, aromas and steam wafting through the room, and layers of structures that depict the tea plantation as it spreads throughout various areas while simultaneously uniting them all and drawing people in.

Design Process

The journey started with a field trip to Penang, where the objective was to explore its bustling streets and capture its essence, including social issues, cultural treasures, and local stories. Inspired, narrative drawings were created, with each stroke telling a story in silence.

The Old Window: This old spoil window was made of acrylic to serve as an abstract depiction of how the Teahouse was found and to give viewers the same experience, where they can peek through the acrylic window’s gaps to see the drawing inside, which is a student’s interpretation of a teahouse.

The Experiential Tea Maker Machine: The brief was to create something interactive and start showing like a sneak peak of possible design style & language for the interior space. The student used plywood and acrylic to build a 1:1 prototype model where different ways of how people can enjoy the process of making tea were experimented with.

The organic and playful form of the Tea Maker Machine served as the inspiration for the shapes and forms used throughout the space. This design was then gradually altered to take on various forms while also being connected to various aspects of tea. The natural organic elements of tea as well as the variety of tea colours—from clearwater to brown tea to floral reddish coloured tea—have inspired the colours and materials used. In terms of spatial programming, every area stands for a distinct component of tea, such as water, steam, flowers, leaves, or time. The idea is to provide users with an understanding of the elements and preparation of tea as they move through different spaces. 

The Tea Scroll: After creating all of the perspective boards and designing the interior spaces, the students were asked to come up with a special way for viewers to understand the space and how to personalise it. To achieve this, they created an interactive curated model that allows viewers to roll the wheels and explore the various spaces in The Tea Factory: Into The Spout step-by-step. 

Final Outcome

The Tea Factory: Into the Spout comprises three levels: the Ground floor, 1st floor, and 2nd floor, each dedicated to various elements of tea. Visitors are engrossed in a multi-sensory tea experience as each area is thoughtfully created to weave stories about tea. Known as spatial storytelling, this method makes sure that visitors can interact with tea using all of their senses.

Additionally, as visitors move up the levels, the design promotes a progression towards tranquilly. With the tea bar, tea bath and workshop area for making tea soap, the ground floor is a hive of activity. Ascending to the first floor, guests can take advantage of appointment-only amenities like the tea consultation area and personal tea drinking pods for a more private experience. Lastly, the second floor is only accessible to employees and is used by them for sleeping, gathering places, and storage. 

The layout is meticulously planned out in order to improve user experience. The flow of movement forms a large U-shape, offering flexibility for guests to enter through either door 1 or door 2. Entering through door 1, they can choose to make their own tea souvenirs and discover how tea is made, or they can go straight to the tea bar for a cup of tea.

Interestingly, the spatial divisions between areas are made not with solid walls but with a variety of layers and specially crafted dividers and steps. This thoughtful decision preserves the unique transparency, gentleness, and organic feel of tea. It promotes an open atmosphere throughout the establishment and lets the aroma of tea permeate every area.

The inviting interior space and the tranquil backyard retreat with its tea bath area are both examples of how the architecture mimics the elegant expansion of a tea plantation, reaching its tendrils into every nook and cranny. The very essence of tea is infused into every aspect of this space’s design. Gentle curves take the place of sharp angles, and earthy materials predominate in the design scheme, reflecting the organic hues of tea leaves. The space is decorated with hues that are representative of the tea spectrum, creating an atmosphere that perfectly captures the essence of this age-old custom. 

Immersing themselves in the tactile experience of the space, visitors can select their perfect tea to brew or learn how to make soap from tea leaves. Sitting at the tea bar, they can even unwind in a tea bath or soak their feet in tea. Within the enchanted tea factory, a world opens up where wellbeing and relaxation come together to create an effortless experience. Through the age-old custom of drinking tea, it’s a sanctuary where people come to relax as well as support their immune systems and take care of their health. Time will stand still here, and memories will permeate the various areas like tea.

Conclusion: This interior design thesis sets an example for creating an immersive space where users can experience stimulation of their five senses: taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch. It’s simple vision is to create a sanctuary where guests can escape the hustle and bustle of life, find solace in the company of loved ones, and savour the simple pleasure of tea.

[This Academic Project has been published with text submitted by the student]