Dawan Wharf Indoor Illuminated Signage | Glass Neon & Dimensional Channel Letters Case Study
Selected Works
Bringing the warmth of the dawn fish market to the dinner table
CHYIHAUR crafted the indoor illuminated signage for Dawan Wharf in Taipei's Xinyi District, blending Channelume dimensional channel letters, hand-bent glass neon tubing and painted acrylic lettering across front-lit and non-lit configurations to revive the nostalgic Taiwanese flavor of an old-time fish market while infusing a contemporary bistro mood — completed in 12 days with 100% design fidelity.
Year
2023
Partner
Yi Rui Interior Design Co., Ltd.
Commercial Photography
Yi Rui Interior Design Co., Ltd.
Project Planning & Execution
CHYIHAUR Team
Dawan Wharf sits on Keelung Road in Taipei's Xinyi District, with a design concept inspired by the early-morning fish markets of old Taiwan — the aim was for every guest to feel the warmth and nostalgia of daybreak at the docks. To evoke that memory inside an interior space, the signage had to be both 'old-Taiwan flavor' and 'new-era bistro' at once. CHYIHAUR blended glass neon with dimensional channel letters to light that atmosphere throughout the space.
01
Project Background & Challenge
Dawan Wharf draws its design concept from the early-morning fish markets of old Taiwan, aiming to preserve a traditional Taiwanese visual character while adding a contemporary edge that positions the venue as a new-era Taiwanese bistro. The signage is the key to the mood: too retro and it feels dated; too modern and it loses its human warmth. Blending different illumination techniques into a layered look that is both nostalgic and fresh was the core challenge of this project.
Front-lit main identity
The Channelume built-up letters are made with aluminium letter bodies. The light comes out frontally through the letter faces, so the brightness lands on the lettering itself rather than being borrowed from a washed wall. The thickness of the metal body carries the depth at the same time, keeping the brand mark on the bright side of a room that mixes front-lit and unlit.
02
Design Goals & Strategy
The strategy gave each technique a distinct role: Channelume dimensional channel letters in aluminum alloy, front-lit, carry the brightness and depth of the main brand identity; hand-bent glass neon tubing traces warm lines of light that directly summon the street memory of old-Taiwan flavor; painted acrylic lettering, non-lit, fills in the informational layer. By interweaving front-lit and non-lit elements, the space gains a rhythm of light and shadow — like stepping into a fish market at daybreak.
Hand-bent, one unbroken line
The nostalgic layer is handled by hand-bent glass neon: the glass tube is heated section by section and bent by hand into shape, and the light comes from the whole length of the tube, one unbroken line. That warmth is exactly what calls the old Taiwanese street memory back.
- 01Signage DesignOverall layout planning for the indoor illuminated lettering and neon visuals.
- 02Dimensional Channel Letter FabricationAluminum-alloy Channelume dimensional channel letters, front-lit configuration.
- 03Glass Neon TubingHand-bent glass neon tubing, creating nostalgic warm lines of light.
- 04Acrylic Lettering Fabrication & InstallationPainted acrylic lettering paired in, positioned and installed on site.
Role of the unlit letters
The baked-finish acrylic letters run unlit; the faces themselves do not light up, and they are positioned and installed letter by letter on site, filling in an information layer alongside the illuminated lettering.
- 01Primary MaterialsAluminum alloy / glass neon tubing / acrylic.
- 02Lettering TechniquesChannelume dimensional channel letters + glass neon tubing + painted acrylic lettering.
- 03Lighting ConfigurationA blend of front-lit and non-lit elements, creating layers of light and shadow.
- 04Timeline & Warranty12-day construction period; one-year warranty on fabricated works.
03
Project Outcome
Once completed, the indoor signage of Dawan Wharf weaves warm neon glow together with dimensional illuminated lettering into a dining atmosphere that is at once nostalgic and fresh, achieving 100% design fidelity. The signage itself became a visual focal point for guests' photos, while precisely conveying the brand's positioning as a new-era Taiwanese bistro.
Learn More
FAQ
This is an indoor illuminated signage case CHYIHAUR delivered for Dawan Wharf, a dining brand in Taipei's Xinyi District. The project blended Channelume dimensional channel letters, glass neon tubing and painted acrylic lettering across front-lit and non-lit configurations to recreate the nostalgic atmosphere of an old-time fish market, completed in 12 days.
The signage uses three materials — aluminum alloy, glass neon tubing and acrylic — while the techniques include Channelume dimensional channel letters, hand-bent glass neon tubing and painted acrylic lettering, with lighting set up as a blend of front-lit and non-lit elements.
Glass neon tubing is a traditional craft in which hand-bent glass tubes are filled with gas to produce light, giving a warm, soft glow and nostalgic atmosphere that LED struggles to replace. Here, glass neon was used to echo the Taiwanese flavor and memory of the old fish market, making it ideal for dining spaces that seek a retro mood.
Front lighting keeps the main brand lettering clear and bright, while the non-lit painted acrylic lettering fills in the informational layer through the texture of its material. Interweaving the two creates a rhythm of light and dark in the space, avoiding a flatly uniform, over-bright signage that would lose its atmosphere — exactly the play of light and shadow a bistro space calls for.
The construction period for Dawan Wharf's indoor illuminated signage was 12 days, with 100% design fidelity; a one-year warranty on the fabricated works is provided upon completion.
If you are planning indoor illuminated lettering, neon signage or atmospheric visuals for a dining space, you are welcome to reach CHYIHAUR through 'Contact Us' on our official website. The team will provide planning advice and a quote tailored to your space's style.
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