% Arabica Shanghai MixC, China, 2022

Shanghai is a city where fragments of different cultures and eras reflect, overlap, and transform one another, continuously generating new urban identities. When I first stepped into the city, I found it difficult to grasp as a whole. Rather than a city defined by structure, it felt like a place where people from different backgrounds intersect and new cultures emerge—a kind of giant cabaret. In the 1920s, traditional Chinese culture encountered Western modernity, and Shanghai became known as the “Paris of the East.” Perhaps this cabaret-like character has remained part of the city ever since. This project is a 30m2 coffee shop located in one corner of such a city. The concept was to recreate a miniature cabaret. Two mirrored walls visually expand the compact interior. A quarter-circle service counter occupies one corner, while a custom sparkling light fixture made from coffee carafes is designed overhead. The rest of the plan is left open for people to enjoy. Upon entering, visitors encounter a curious cylindrical coffee counter that may recall a cabaret, a dance hall, or even a merry-go-round. Like the cabarets used to be, this project seeks to become a place where people meet and create new urban stories.

Photo : StudioSZ Justin Szeremeta