A panoramic view of “The Noodle’s Tale” and “Beijing’s Bite” installations in Qianmen, part of the “Take a Seat in Qianmen” Chair Project. Under the context of the “Qianmen · Chinese Food Fair” promoting cultural-tourism-commercial integration, the “Take a Seat in Qianmen” Chair Project uses public art as a medium to explore the potential of street furniture in activating neighborhood vitality and preserving cultural memory. The two installations, “The Noodle’s Tale” and “Beijing’s Bite,” created by a team from Tsinghua University School of Architecture, extract formal logic from traditional Chinese food, translating culinary imagery into functional and poetic public facilities through lightweight, assemblable construction methods.
“The Noodle’s Tale” — Noodle’s Fluidity and Body Scale
“When we faced the topic of the ‘Chair Project,’ what came to mind was not a piece of furniture, but scenes of people gathering and sharing meals,” the design team remarked in an interview. Consequently, “The Noodle’s Tale” and “Beijing’s Bite” are not conventional seats, but rather defined as “dining spaces” designed to evoke a sense of ritual and belonging around the act of eating together.
▼Ergonomic Dimension Diagram
“The Noodle’s Tale” draws inspiration from the fluid form of noodles, transforming the everyday act of eating noodles into a public interactive installation that invites sitting, reclining, and exploration.The design employs continuous undulating curves to mimic the supple, dynamic qualities of noodles from preparation to cooking. Through its ergonomically staggered heights, the installation not only displays a noodle-like rhythmic beauty but also organically facilitates diverse resting modes: solitary contemplation, conversational engagement, reclining relaxation, and communal dining.
▼warm brown wooden curves integrate with the hutong environment
▼Usage Scenario Profile
▼Installation method
▼Night view of “The Noodle’s Tale”, with warm yellow light reflecting off the wooden boards
At nightfall, lights illuminate the installation like hearth fires from countless households, echoing Qianmen’s historical prosperity as a bustling merchant area with taverns and entertainment venues, revitalizing the neighborhood’s spirit as a carrier of food culture.
