% Arabica Chengdu Regular, China, 2021

This small coffee shop faces a public plaza in Chengdu, a city with a long tradition of gathering in teahouses. Traditionally, reaching a teahouse is a layered experience: passing through a gate, crossing a garden, entering the teahouse, and finally finding a seat deep inside. These spatial filters have long shaped the rhythm of the city. The project reinterprets this tradition through a contemporary coffee experience. Rather than lingering for hours, visitors can pick up a coffee and enjoy it in the plaza. A tunnel-like space connects the square to the service counter at the back of the shop, reimagining this sequence of filtered spaces and creating a dialogue between the city and its social drinking culture. Small seating areas line both sides of the tunnel. The sculptural floor-and-wall geometry subtly raises the seating platforms, bringing seated and standing visitors to the same eye level. As customers move through the tunnel, they are framed by visitors on either side, transforming a simple route into a moment of social exchange. The sloped surfaces maintain a comfortable distance while encouraging interaction, reflecting evolving perceptions of personal space since the pandemic and creating a balance between connection and privacy.

Photo : Kobe