I’m Wei-Che Wu, the founder of Union Atelier in Taiwan. Union Atelier was established in 2013 by myself, a brand designer, and Min-Han Lin, an interior designer. Our studio specializes in brand design and spatial design, providing clients with comprehensive brand identity solutions. In addition to commercial projects, we also offer residential space design services. With a unique perspective, we reinterpret contemporary design through the lens of local culture, always aiming to present original and cutting-edge concepts. Union Atelier has carried out numerous projects. In the food and beverage industry, “You Beer” received significant attention by blending traditional Taiwanese snack culture with contemporary drinking culture. It offers a unique Taiwanese dining experience combining braised pork rice and beer, creating a comfortable space for office workers to unwind after work, brought to life through bold visuals and vibrant copywriting. In the healthcare sector, our project “Su Listen Counseling Clinic” is a representative case where we provided holistic design from brand identity to spatial planning. Centered on the act of speaking and listening, we established the positioning of a boutique counseling clinic that fosters psychological healing and comfort, delivering a warm and harmonious brand experience.

What has been the biggest challenge for Union Atelier?

Our team strives to express each project through a contemporary design language. Ultimately, design must fulfill commercial needs while allowing consumers to experience and connect with it. At the same time, we believe that integrating the DNA of local culture is equally important. This cultural connection adds value to the design and helps form a distinct brand identity among consumers. Even small creative applications of design or modern interpretations of traditional materials can make each project unique and eye-catching. The biggest challenge in this process is “transformation.” If cultural elements are not smoothly integrated into modern design, they can cause discomfort. Therefore, striking a balance between tradition and modernity is our ongoing task—and the best approach is continuous experimentation during the design process. Some outcomes cannot be simulated by computers or other technologies, so hands-on experimentation is crucial to finding the optimal solution.

To give an example from our experience, there was a project where we used a specially shaped ceramic material on the exterior of a store. However, the material was too fragile and easily broke. Our design team collaborated closely with the engineering team on-site, conducting various tests until we discovered the best adhesive method. As a result, the material could withstand sunlight, rain, and impact, and we were able to apply it across a wide range of surfaces. Through careful collaboration and experimentation with the construction team, we prevented material damage and fully realized the intended design quality. Moving forward, we will continue to overcome challenges and present fresh and meaningful designs.

How do you incorporate cultural elements into your designs?

Every project at Union Atelier begins with deep conversations with our clients to capture the core of their ideas. Once we understand the initial concept, we engage in brainstorming and mind mapping sessions to generate a wide array of keywords. These keywords are then deconstructed and reorganized to uncover design possibilities. Often, they contain cultural elements and specific design techniques. Through reconfiguration, we identify potential directions and run hands-on experiments to test the feasibility of those techniques. Our aim is to naturally integrate modern design methods and cultural inspiration—without forcing the combination. By conducting direct experiments, we ensure that the design quality and brand story are fully expressed.

For example, in the “Murmur Tea Shop” project, we reinterpreted the early culture of Taiwanese bubble tea shops through a contemporary design lens. We sampled retro signage styles from the 1980s and crafted a logo by blending various combinations and fonts. The iconic shaker cup, a recognizable symbol of bubble tea shops, became a design element to enhance generational resonance. Since those early tea shops were familiar gathering places, we chose a warm orange color as the main tone to evoke friendliness. The spatial design balanced vintage and modern elements—featuring vacuum-formed signs that highlighted retro aesthetics and incorporating shaker cups and stainless-steel materials to reinforce the 1980s imagery. To create a cozy ambiance, we applied tactile coatings to the walls and used the brand’s signature orange in the waiting area and menu displays as visual highlights, so customers would feel a sense of nostalgia when ordering their drinks.

What has been the client response to your design approach?

Many clients greatly appreciate our design approach. It allows us to infuse our work with depth and innovation, offering clients a fresh and meaningful experience. In commercial projects, this method enhances brand value by delivering rich storytelling and elevating customer engagement, creating a win-win situation for business operations. In residential projects, clients get to live in creative, personalized spaces that reflect their unique lifestyles—resulting in homes that are both distinctive and refined. Design is an emotional journey. It’s not about blindly following trends but about co-creating with the client, drawing inspiration from meaningful dialogue, and exploring diverse possibilities to arrive at the most resonant and appropriate design solution.

What’s the difference in your approach to brand design versus spatial design projects?

At Union Atelier, we believe that the essence of design remains the same whether it's brand or spatial design. Our goal is always to spark new ideas through brainstorming, and guide those ideas—from concept, technique, and materials to final output—toward outcomes that bring clients joy and enhance their everyday lives. Every new project excites us with the potential for engaging collaborations. We avoid rigid categorizations that can limit a designer’s creative scope. Instead, we take a holistic approach, examining how visual design is expressed in a space, how materials and lighting reflect brand spirit, and how spatial planning communicates a brand’s story to users. We foster boundless ideation and focus on problem-solving during execution to ensure outstanding results. This flexible and innovative mindset allows our designs to be not only functional, but also enjoyable and original.

Is there a new design field or style you’d like to explore?

Recently, a motion graphics specialist joined our design team, which has enabled us to incorporate dynamic visuals and motion imagery into our projects. We’re actively experimenting with integrating multiple media to create richer and more immersive experiences. Since multisensory design has a strong impact on audiences, we’re focusing on enhancing our expertise through dynamic visuals and auditory stimuli. Union Atelier has begun incorporating motion elements from client proposals to final visual and spatial outputs. These additions allow for more direct communication of ideas and have proven to be highly effective. We look forward to exploring even more possibilities and presenting increasingly creative work in the future.

What are Union Atelier’s future plans and goals?

We’re continuously seeking new talent to join our team because we believe that a strong team elevates the quality of our design work. When executing a project, we inject abundant inspiration and explore diverse possibilities. We brainstorm together, seek creative insights, fulfill our respective roles, and cherish the moment we see a client smile with satisfaction—these are the moments that bring us the greatest joy. Our goal is for Union Atelier to keep growing and thriving, uniting diverse talents across fields to provide better service and deliver exceptional work. We also aim to develop more global projects, expanding our design presence internationally and connecting with a broader audience around the world.