Sitting at the ground floor of M WOODS Art Community in Beijing, this %Arabica project is a significant component of the revitalization plan of the Longfusi Area.
The design was inspired by the tranquil Hutong hidden in the midst of the bustling city of Beijing and the artistic atmosphere of M WOODS. In modern metropolis like Beijing, a large amount of elements affect cities themselves and people’s daily lives, but it’s hard to see direct relationship between human and natural environment. We hope to relate human beings with nature and culture through spatial design.
The transparent glass facade integrates the coffee shop into the environment of local streetscape, and meanwhile it draws both streetscape and cityscape into the shop. In this way, the greenery as well as the light and shadows have become intrinsic elements of the store. The bar counter is located at the center of the store. The greenery interspersed in the seating areas which scatter around the center zone, making the interior more natural and vibrant. The design continues the consistent minimalism aesthetic of the brand by choosing pale grey washed stone and plain cement as its basic tone. Highlighted by the tone, the greenery becomes a protagonist in the space and ultimately emphasizes our design motif. The dialogue with nature in this way is our attempt to blur the boundary between the interior and the exterior and to reveal a fusion between human and nature.
