Project Overview

Chasing Kitsune joined the food truck phenomenon for the 2011 State of Design Festival and redefined it by creating a mobile pop-up restaurant that adapted to its landscape.

‘Kitsune’ is a mythical fox in Japanese culture which shape-shifts and only reveals its true form in shadow or reflection. The truck operated at night with the locations revealed through Facebook and Twitter or by downloading the festival’s iPhone application. Once people ‘found the fox’, delicious Japanese food was on offer.

Organisation

HASSELL

Team

HASSELL
Rebecca Trenorden
Jacqui Low
Cara Gabriel
Robert Harper
Angie Hanke
Alex Hopkins

Colaborators
Mopho Noodle feat. Kinsan
Schiavello
Seesaw Design
Inlite
Arts Victoria
Melbourne City Council

Project Brief

Responding to the theme – design that moves – HASSELL created their version of a Yatai, a Japanese food truck for the 2011 State of Design Festival. The design challenge included the temporary nature of the project and setting up the ‘fox’ on a nightly basis.

The design for the Yatai was simple and calculated, evoking the principles of Japanese design and concentrating on the craftsmanship rather than a palette of materials. Based on the ‘matryoshka principle’ (babushka doll), the seating was a series of boxes packed inside each other and stored within the truck. On location, the boxes were set up and the canvas sides pulled back, revealing the kitchen. The boxes, made from finger-jointed marine grade plywood, allowed the plywood layers to be exposed and enhanced. The canopy was clad in mirror laminate, reflecting the boxes while playing up to the ‘kitsune’ myth of the fox revealing itself.

Project Need

Chasing Kitsune joined the food truck phenomenon and redefined it by creating a mobile pop-up restaurant that adapted to its landscape. ‘Kitsune’ – a mythical fox in Japanese culture – arrived at a site and transformed into a restaurant complete with kitchen, point of sale, canopy and seating. The plywood boxes, which formed the seating, were arranged in response to the location; random scattering for an open area, long and directional for a laneway. A canopy extended out, aligning the lighting with the workspace and providing shelter.

The event was broadcast through social media sites, Facebook and Twitter, to reveal the location of the ‘fox’ on the day. Teaser images and status updates were posted online in the lead up to the festival, creating a buzz and forming an organic following among the design and foodie communities, as well as students and inner city residents.

Design Challenge

The challenges arising from the yatai concept went beyond the restraints of time and budget. Working with a vehicle that would be travelling throughout Melbourne it was essential that the fitout be secure and compact while ensuring maximum functionality.

Designing the box landscape around the ‘matryoshka principle’ (babushka doll) it was possible to contain within the kitchen fitout while not in use. Restraining the entire fitout within an unassuming truck, Chasing Kitsune could mauver between the locations throughout the festival before being revealed.

HASSELL collaborated with Schiavello, Arts Victoria and Salvatore Malatesta for the fitout construction, site locations and food and beverage offer, respectively. The temporary fitout was constructed by Schiavello, which addressed safety, integrity of the structure and design. HASSELL and Arts Victoria selected sites that were on the city fringe but were not developed or had foot traffic. This tested the sites as a destination for other endeavours. Salvatore Malatesta introduced sushi chef, Kinsan, and Mopho Noodle to the mix, serving warm, wintery Japanese fare to suit Melbourne’s weather in July.

Sustainability

Sustainability principles were exercised in two ways, through materiality and lifecycle.

The boxes that formed the landscape were constructed out of marine-grade plywood. The joints were designed to reduce the amount of fixings and only low VOC, water-based sealants were used to finish the ply. The plywood accounted for approximately 90 per cent of the total fitout.

The fitout was also designed and constructed to be removed from the rental truck and re-inserted into another truck to be sold as a complete mobile restaurant with its own branding and identity, social media sites and fan-base.