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      RooMoo integrates local materials and traditions into Som Land Hostel near Shanghai

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      Thatched roofs, recycled bricks and bundles of sticks were used to construct this hostel on Shanghai’s Chongming Island, which Chinese studio RooMoo has organised around two existing buildings.

      The site is surrounded by water and forests, creating a secluded rural environment on the island that’s located across the Yangtze River estuary from the vast metropolitan area.
      RooMoo completely transformed two existing buildings using materials found on-siteThe Som Land hostel was designed to integrate with this natural landscape and respect the local customs and traditions.
      “The resort’s name Som Land comes from the traditional Chinese colour, the warm green between the mottled gaps in the tree shadows, representing a state of relaxation and slow-paced life,” said Shanghai-based RooMoo.
      “In terms of overall space arrangement and planning, Som Land focuses on nature and humanistic traditions.”

      The buildings are clad using recycled bricks in a pattern based on a local clothThe architects revived two old houses on the site, manipulating their existing forms and layouts to meet the new requirements while adhering to planning restrictions.
      The larger two-storey structure that acts as the accommodation block was overhauled and extended to include an additional floor – now totalling 552 square metres.
      In the larger of the two buildings, the staircase was moved to the north side”Because the original building has problems, it is necessary to adjust the old and inappropriate space layout and add new design strategies to provide reconstruction to match the new requirements,” said RooMoo.
      While its perimeter footprint remained the same, the building was transformed both internally and externally.
      The rooms are decorated with neutral tones and natural materialsPlanning codes limited the height of the eaves. So to provide extra space, RooMoo steepened the pitch of the roof so that the extra storey could tuck inside.
      Large dormer windows create even more space on this upper floor, while balconies were added to the lower levels to extend these, too.
      Wood furniture and woven textiles connect the interiors to the rural settingThe staircase was also relocated to the north of the building, allowing three guest rooms per floor to fan around the glass-topped circulation core.
      Each room has its own bathroom facilities, and some suites include a bathtub that overlooks the balcony and the forest beyond.

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      Neutral tones and natural materials decorate the interiors, which feature wooden bed frames, tables and chairs, plus woven textiles and lighting.
      Tree branches gathered from the site are framed into panels that cover parts of the ceilings in both the rooms and corridors, while bamboo poles partition the staircase flights.
      The second building was extended on the west side with a glazed addition”The guests staying can feel the space environment of non-machine standardised production, so most of our material selection is from nature and the local site,” said RooMoo.
      The second single-storey building that was originally a tool shed was also completely rethought, becoming a reception and communal space where crumbling walls and a tiled roof once stood.
      This building is used as the reception and a communal space for guestsAs with the larger structure, the roof pitch was increased to its maximum allowed height and its boundary was also pushed outward.
      The top of its gabled form was cut off and the flat plane turned into a window to allow plenty of natural light into the interior.
      A central brick fireplace divides the open spaceOn the west side, a wood-framed glass addition is extruded from the building’s profile to face the water.
      Inside, thin strips of wood swoop down and curve outward from the skylight, helping to distribute the light.
      A variety of local products are displayed in the reception buildingA curvaceous brick fireplace and chimney stack are positioned in the centre of the open room to separate the reception area from a lounge and dining space.
      Both buildings were re-clad in bricks recycled from the original structures, in a pattern based on local cloth that casts shadows across the facades.
      Strips of wood curve from the ceiling to funnel in sun from the skylightThatched roofs were also added as a nod to the region’s historic building traditions. “In our practice, we tried to recall the traditional way of manual binding to build a roof of reed poles,” said RooMoo.
      “Therefore, we hope to bring out the first impression of the sustainable concept and practice of earth materials returning to nature,” the studio added.
      “The design treatment is to provide hotel guests with a warm and relaxing vacation with a deeper understanding of the local style of the environment.”
      The top of the gabled roof is cut off and covered in glassSom Land is longlisted in the hotel and short-stay interior category for the 2023 Dezeen Awards, becoming the latest hostel in China to receive recognition from the program.
      Previously, the Capsule hostel and bookstore by Atelier Tao+C in a small rural village was named interiors project of the year at the 2020 Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Wen Studio.
      Project credits:
      Design team: RooMooConstruction: Shanghai Guixiang Decoration EngineeringLighting consultant: Shanghai Yiqu Laite Lighting Industry

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      Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

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      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, to showcase the fashion brand’s diverse use of materials.

      Located at the Taikoo Li shopping complex in central Shanghai, the 195-square-metre store was designed to evoke a sense of traditional home-based atelier that places materials and craftsmanship at its centre.
      Neri&Hu designed the store in Taikoo Li”Before the Industrial Revolution, textiles were made by hand in villages across China by individual families; carding, spinning and weaving all took place in farmhouses, indeed a loom could be found in every well-conditioned homestead,” Neri&Hu explained.
      “We harken back to the notion of a traditional fabric atelier, showcasing craftsmanship, rich materiality, and a domestic sensibility.”
      White fabric sheets were hung to divide the spaceThe space was divided into several zones by a series of floor-to-ceiling open grid wooden structures.

      White fabric sheet was hung in between a wooden grid to serve as lightweight semi-transparent partitions situated on left and right side of the shop. These were designed to allow plenty of natural daylight into the store.
      “Natural daylight and the chaos of the shopping mall are filtered by the sheer fabric screens, giving the space an overall sense of calmness,” Neri&Hu said.
      The flexible panels can be re-arranged and interchanged with different materialsThe same wooden structures with overhanging eaves to the right side of the shop form a series of more private rooms.
      These are used as a reception at the front of the store along with a VIP lounge, VIP fitting room and studio area at the rear of the shop.
      An internal courtyard was formed that can accommodate exhibitionsThe central display area was arranged by a series of panels, either made with micro-cement or marble and framed in brass, which form an internal courtyard that can be used as an exhibition space.
      These panels can be re-arranged and interchanged to suit the changing fashion trends in motifs every season.

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      The entire shop was paved with curved roof tiles stacked and inlaid, a traditional pavement commonly found in the region.
      Neri&Hu also created custom mannequin figures for Ms MIN. According to the studio, the linen-made mannequins have a skin-like subtle texture.
      The lightweight semitransparent partitions allow natural daylight into the shopNeri&Hu was founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu in 2004 in Shanghai. Other recent interior projects completed by the studio include cafe brand Blue Bottle’s latest shop and a flexible office space, both in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Sanif XuDesign team: Muyang Tang, Zhikang Wang, Amber Shi, Yoki Yu, Nicolas FardetLighting: Viabizzuno (Shanghai)Contractor: Shanghai Yali Design Decoration Co.

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      Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan references greenhouses and Shanghai’s brick architecture

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      Architect Keiji Ashizawa has created a Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai’s Qiantan area with a glazed facade and interiors in a hue that nods to the city’s brick buildings.

      Located next to a park in the recently developed Qiantan area, Ashizawa designed the oval-shaped cafe to reference its immediate surroundings.
      His studio removed the floor slabs from the first floor of the building, creating a double-height space with an atrium-like feeling for the ground floor of the cafe that would have a connection to the surrounding park.
      Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan is located in a newly developed area”In rainy Shanghai, we wanted to provide a place where people could enjoy the park even on rainy days,” Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “Also, looking at the overall plan of the park, I thought that a rich interior space was required,” he continued.

      “The result is seen as a greenhouse, like those found in botanical gardens. I thought that adding a new story to the park would increase its enjoyment.”
      It features a double-height space and a central staircaseFrom the ground floor, a long stairway leads down to the cafe’s basement level, which houses the main coffee counter.
      The staircase in Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan was designed to reference the colour of soil and have a cave-like feeling.
      “We decided to create a cave-like space for visitors to appreciate the long stairway down to the basement, creating an experience that is like crawling through the earth in the park,” the studio said.
      A coffee counter in the basement has a colour reminiscent of bricksIt also evokes the colour of red bricks, which are commonly used for Shanghai architecture. The same hue was used for the coffee counter and for a tall central wall.
      “Shanghai’s brick architecture in the old city is a strong contrast to the architecture of modern Shanghai, and it leaves a very strong impression on the eye,” Ashizawa said.

      Traditional Chinese roof tiles decorate the interior of Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai

      “We wanted to preserve some of Shanghai’s image in this newly developed location and architecture,” he added.
      “At the same time, since the cafe is located in a park, I wanted to create a sense of unity by using the image of earth in the architecture.”
      Keiji Ashizawa used wooden furniture throughout the spaceOn the ground floor, pale-wood stools are gathered around circular grey tables.
      Downstairs, Ashizawa clad the walls in greige microcement and added wooden chairs, tables and counters.
      The walls are clad in microcementLarge trees decorate both the basement and the ground floor, adding to the cafe’s botanical atmosphere.
      “The goal was to create a connection between the outside and the inside, with a natural form similar to that of the outdoor trees,” Ashizawa said.
      Large indoor trees connect the cafe with the park outsideWooden benches also offer visitors the option to drink their coffee outside in the park.
      Ashizawa has designed numerous other Blue Bottle Coffee shops, including one in a Kobu department store and another Shanghai outpost that was decorated with Chinese roof tiles.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
      Project credits: 
      Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Chaoyen WuLighting Design: Aurora / Yoshiki IchikawaLandscape Design: Hashiuchi Garden Design / Hashiuchi Tomoya

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      FOG Architecture adds playful tailoring motifs to Xiaozhuo boutique in Shanghai

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      Chinese architecture studio FOG Architecture has completed a shop for local fashion boutique Xiaozhuo on Julu Road in central Shanghai that features oversized buttons and zippers.

      The 300-square-metre shop features tactile surfaces and playful motifs that reference the process of tailoring.
      The fashion boutique is located in central ShanghaiFOG Architecture used a glazed facade to open up the front of the shop, allowing plenty of natural daylight into the space while blurring the line between the interiors and the street to create a transitional waiting area.
      Beams from an original building on the site were kept and painted red. These support a roof installation comprised of a series of puffy pillows, arranged next to one another and covered in a canvas-like material to create a soft texture.
      A pavilion-like facade was designed to blur the interior and exterior”The result is an exterior of the shop that looks like a ‘small pavilion’,” explained FOG Architecture. “The red columns, the flat roof resembling overlapping tiles, and the antique style stone seats all contribute to this spatial image.”

      “Retail display is the project’s preset function but the pavilion-like exterior challenges it and adds the possibility for leisure, entertainment and social,” the studio added.
      “The front space not only serves as the connection between the shop and the street, but also creates an experimental space that allows contrasting events happen.”
      The entrance of the shop features a grid wallThe entrance of the shop also features a symmetrical gridded wall. Its design was informed by a skylight in the site’s original building, and creates a light-and-shadow effect that adds animation to the wall.
      Square tiles were selected as the main material of the floor and wall in the waiting area, while graphic striplights were installed between the gaps in the ceiling to match the straight lines of the gridded wall.
      Tailoring elements were used as furnishing throughout the shopFollowing the waiting area visitors enter the main area of the shop, where product display and fitting area are arranged on the west side. Packaging, inventory and other supporting functions are located on the east side.
      FOG Architecture decided to use the tools and accessories commonly used in tailoring as the main design narrative of the shop, in response to the fashion brand’s identity.

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      These include red seams, oversized buttons and zipper motifs, and sinuous metallic clothing racks designed to look like sewing thread that add a sense of fun and surprise to the off-white backdrop.
      “The waiting area and the product display area are in sharp contrast in terms of palette, material, shape, and scale — stone versus fabric, light grey versus off-white, straight lines versus curved surfaces — allowing the former to become a transitional area of functions and styles, connecting the interiors to the exteriors, while guiding customer behaviours by shifting views and texture,” the studio said.
      The fitting rooms at the centre of the shop are wrapped in canvas-like materialThe newly polished interior wall is wrapped in a material that resembles a mix of linen and leather and was created by mixing canvas, plush fabric and texture paint.
      The curved outline of the canvas-clad fitting rooms serves as the visual centrepiece of the space.
      Sinuous metallic clothing racks resemble sowing threadAccording to the studio, all finishing materials in the shop were sourced from the fashion brand’s leftover materials from its production line.
      FOG Architecture was founded by Zheng Yu and Zhan Di and has offices in London, Shanghai and Chongqing.
      Previously the studio has completed flagship stores for ToSummer in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Super Seed’s Hangzhou store featuring kinetic display.
      The photography is by INSPACE.
      Project credits:
      Design team: Zou Dejing, Huang Yingzi, Wang Shengqi, Zhunag Shaokai, Zheng Yu, Zhan DiLighting design: Liben Design, Zhang XuConstruction: Shanghai Guqin Construction Engineering Decoration Co., Ltd.Furnishing: Dongguan Lianwei Furniture Co., Ltd.Structure consultant: Tao Xinwei

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      Kooo Architects creates Shanghai Freitag store in 1970s textile factory

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      Japanese studio Kooo Architects has converted a 1970s textile factory in Shanghai into a store that aims to capture the ethos of messenger bag manufacturer Freitag.

      Located on an alley in the Xian-Suo district in central Shanghai, the store was designed to retain elements of the former state-run factory while incorporating reused material.
      Kooo Architects aimed to create a pared-back aesthetic utilising few finishes to reduce the fit-out’s carbon impact. Like its previous Kyoto store, the look was partly informed by Freitag’s Zurich warehouse.
      Freitag has opened a store in Shanghai”In order to reduce CO2 emission as much as possible, the building interior does not use any decorational material, and all surfaces and conduits are exposed,” Kooo Architects told Dezeen.
      “In order to achieve a connected, inclusive and transparent environment, nothing is hidden, and there are no interior partition walls either,” it said.

      “Even the storage space is positioned in front of the visitors across all three floors. These spatial characters are highly relevant to the factory spirit of Freitag, and the space is a natural reflection of that.”
      It has a pared-back aesthetic enlivened with pops of yellowWithin the three-storey store, the upper floors contain display areas featuring industrial-looking units and storage spaces, while a large repair shop occupies the entire ground floor.
      The raw atheistic was broken by pops of bright yellow – one of the brand’s signature colours, which was used for the feature stair as well as ladders and a gantry.
      “In order to create an interior space fit for retail purposes, we adopted the white colour for the walls and ceiling and introduced a new skylight above the void space,” said Kooo Architects.

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      “Traffic yellow was used for elements related to vertical movement, including staircases, the cargo lift and the ladder,” it continued.
      “The bright factory color not only introduces some playfulness to the architecture but also simply reminds visitors and staff of safety when using these elements.”
      The ground floor was opened up to the alleyTo create the store, the studio opened up the ground and part of the first floor by removing the walls, which are supported on a steel structure.
      While the studio retained many of the bricks, the rest of the waste was ground up to make “rebirth bricks”, which were used for the ground floor paving.
      The store was overclad in steel, which was also used as the hoarding required to enclose the building during the demolition phase of the works.
      The construction hoarding was reused as cladding”We saw the material similarity between the hoarding and our designed deck plate facade, so we decided to use the deck plate as the hoarding material,” said Kooo Architects.
      “In later stages of construction, the deck plate was removed from the hoarding, trimmed to size and reinstalled as a permanent facade material,” it continued.
      “The steel deck plate was galvanised to protect the building against the weather and with a matte finish to avoid harsh reflection of sunlight.”
      A repair shop occupies the entire ground floorThroughout, the design studio and Freitag aimed to reduce carbon emissions by reusing materials and sourcing new materials from within a 100 kilometre radius of the store.
      In total, Freitag and the architects estimated that the measures they undertook reduced its carbon impact by 144 tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared to a standard redevelopment.
      Founded in 1993, Swiss brand Freitag started by creating bags from reused tarpaulins. It recently opened a “micro-factory” where customers could help make their own bags out of recycled tarpaulins.
      The photography is by Studio Fang.
      Project credits:
      Store design: Freitag / Kooo ArchitectsDeveloper: Chengjun FanConstructor: HengpinConcept rooftop: Jody WongGreening rooftop: Forest City StudioFreitag bench design: Leandro Destefani (Zauber Aller Art)

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      Linehouse creates tactile restaurant with “Mediterranean soul” in Shanghai

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      Design studio Linehouse has used natural, tactile materials for the interiors of the Coast restaurant in Shanghai for China’s casual dining brand Gaga.

      The restaurant is set inside a traditional mid-century Shikumen house – a blend of Western and Chinese architecture – with a renovated interior informed by its Mediterranean menu.
      “We aimed to create a deep connection with coastal elements and Mediterranean soul,” said Linehouse co-founder Alex Mok.
      Linehouse has completed the Coast restaurant in ShanghaiAccording to the studio, the restaurant’s aesthetic is one of “refined rusticity” – a contemporary reframing of rough-hewn vernacular styles, that creates a laid-back and tranquil atmosphere.
      Throughout the scheme, Linehouse was informed by the idea of coastal terrain, including earthy and fired elements.

      Linehouse chose a natural material palette, which in turn informed the colour scheme that flows throughout the interior of the three-storey restaurant.
      Green-glazed lava stone surrounds the ground-floor cafe and barThe aim was to take the visitor on a “vertical journey” by giving each of the three floors its own unique identity.
      “The colours and materials shift on each floor, telling a different part of the story,” Mok said.
      The bar is finished in the same tilesOn the ground floor, where a daytime cafe transitions into an evening bar, green and earthy tones link to the leafy garden beyond. Walls are wrapped in a green-glazed lava stone, with a deliberately hand-made patina, “representing the earth element”.
      Custom furniture pieces designed by Linehouse were used throughout the restaurant, while lighting was chosen for its intriguing, sculptural forms from designers including Santa & Cole and Studio KAE.
      Natural timbers were used for the centrepiece bar counter, while the timber-framed windows open up to the silver-grey of the olive trees outside.
      An open-hearth grill features on the first floorAbove this on the first floor is an intimate dining space lined with white-washed stone and timber panelling. Layered oak panels hung horizontally from the ceiling create intimate dining nooks, with taupe-toned banquette sofas and oak dining tables.
      The focal point of this room is the parrilla – an open-hearth grill – and a chef’s table.
      “The concept of the open parrilla grill captures the quintessence of Mediterranean cuisine,” Mok told Dezeen.

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      On this level, fire-informed red and brown tones punctuate the space including the tiles that line the kitchen, which were repurposed from used coffee grounds.
      Finally, on the top floor under the exposed timber beams of the pitched roof, Linehouse created a string-wrapped wine room and a lofty private dining space.
      Panels of string line the staircase structureThe walls were again clad in white-washed stone. But here, it is contrasted with the intense black of yakisugi, or fire-preserved wood, which serves as a backdrop to a chef’s table.
      The space also features a generously-sized balcony, providing views out across this bustling neighbourhood.
      Linehouse created a string-wrapped wine room on the top floorThe spaces are linked by a staircase that weaves up through the centre of the building. Its chalky-white outer walls are patterned with a sculptural relief of sea creature exoskeletons, echoed by collections of shells displayed in glass jars nearby.
      Panels of string, woven into simple grids, line the staircase structure, allowing natural light to flow into the heart of the building.
      “We chose materials that tell the story of the coastal journey, while the exoskeleton wall is a modern representation of the sea,” said Mok.
      The top floor also houses a private dining roomLinehouse was founded by Mok and Briar Hickling in 2013 and the duo went on to win emerging interior designer of the year at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
      The studio has completed a number of other projects in Shanghai, including a space-themed cafe decorated with real meteorites and an office housed in a former swimming pool.
      The photography is by Wen Studio, courtesy of Linehouse.

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      Neri&Hu inserts shed into old lane house for Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai

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      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has inserted a stainless-steel shed into a Shanghainese lane house for Blue Bottle Coffee’s latest cafe in Shanghai, which opened to the public last week.

      Located in Zhangyuan in one of the area’s 140-year-old traditional Shikumen mansions, Neri&Hu’s design for the coffee shop aims to evoke “an intimate and nostalgic experience and bring back the memories of ‘home’.”
      The Blue Bottle coffee shop is located in an old Shanghainese lane houseShikumen, also known as lane houses, is a traditional type of Shanghainese house that was popularised during the 19th century. They usually feature high brick walls that enclose a small front yard, with residential units arranged close to one another in narrow alleys.
      For this project, Shanghai-based Neri&Hu kept the existing brick walls, wooden doors and windows of the original architectural facades but replaced the interior wooden structure with concrete.
      A shed made of stainless steel at the centre of the cafe is used as a coffee barThe formerly separate units in the building were removed to form a large open space for the cafe. A stainless-steel shed was erected at the centre of the space to serve as the main coffee bar area.

      The structure of the shed was built with brushed, perforated and bent stainless steel to maximise the transparency of the space and contrast the heavy palette of the existing architecture.

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      The areas around the bar hold seating arrangements including long benches, low stone tables, wooden stools, and vintage walnut furniture, which were chosen to reflect the traditional lifestyle in Shikumen.
      Neri&Hu also nodded to the informal constructions that people living in Shikumen houses used to extend their private spaces into the alleys, by adding metal rods and small platforms to existing structural columns.
      The steel span of the coffee shop shed and its integrated lighting design came from the clothes-hanging-rods and street lamps commonly seen in the old Shikumen homes.
      The seating area features a range of vintage furnitureBlue Bottle Coffee was founded as a small roastery in Oakland, California, in 2002 and has since grown into a chain of cafes across United States and Asia.
      This is the third Blue Bottle Coffee shop in mainland China. The first one was opened in February this year, designed by Schemata Architects, followed by the second one designed by Keiji Ashizawa Design in August, all located in Shanghai.
      Neri&Hu also recently turned an old textile factory in Beijing into the headquarters of a Chinese pastry brand.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Qiucheng LiDesign team: Jiaxin Zhang, Xi Chen, Peizheng Zou, Shangyun Zhou, Greg Wu, Luna HongFF&E design and procurement: Design RepublicGeneral contractor: Blue Peak Image Producing Co.,Ltd
      Dezeen is on WeChat!
      Click here to read the Chinese version of this article on Dezeen’s official WeChat account, where we publish daily architecture and design news and projects in Simplified Chinese.

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      Reflecting pool centres XC273 fashion boutique in former Shanghai towel factory

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      Chinese studio Dongqi Design has turned a disused factory in Shanghai into a multi-brand fashion and lifestyle store, adding glossy marble and metal surfaces to offset its exposed concrete shell.

      Set across three floors, the XC273 retail space houses designer showrooms and pop-ups alongside a small cafe, as well as providing spaces for temporary exhibitions and events.
      Dongqi Design has turned a former factory into a fashion boutiqueFormerly a state-owned towel factory, the building had already been changed several times before the latest round of renovations.
      Dongqi Design strived to preserve and emphasise these different layers of history, which are contrasted against shiny new finishes to create a kind of “nostalgic futurism”.
      “All the differences of the space were kept as part of the building’s history so that people walking in could feel that the boundaries between the past and the present are blurred, as if they had walked into a timeless space,” the studio explained.

      The XC273 store houses a cafe alongside designer showrooms and pop-upsThe building is organised around three voids, which now form the basis of the store’s circulation routes.
      The largest of these voids consists of a double-height space at the core of the building, where Dongqi Design added a small reflecting pool surrounded by a collonade.
      Glossy surfaces are contrasted against the building’s raw concrete shellThe collonade’s raw concrete columns are left exposed where they face the pond, while their other three sides are wrapped with either marble, wood or metal.
      This approach is replicated across the store’s display fixtures to create a sense of spatial continuity. It can also be seen on the first floor, where new paving was added to enhance the existing geometric flooring.

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      A sound tunnel that provides visitors with an experimental music experience was placed near the cafe on the ground floor.
      The second floor is accessed via a metal staircase, which is suspended above the reflecting pool and winds its way up through a small hole in the ceiling.
      A reflecting pool was installed at the core of the building”The key element connecting all the spaces is the stairs,” the studio explained.
      “The stairs are designed in their purest metallic form, further enhanced by the details of the balustrade where the fence becomes a simple element sliding into the structural beam at the bottom while having a profile on the top to allow visitors to grab the handrail comfortably.”
      Concrete paving was added to complement the geometric flooring on the first floorOn the second floor, Dongqi Design selected a bright white finish to emphasise the old wooden structure of the building’s pitched roof. A series of square windows let light into the space and offer views out across the city and toward the sky.
      To balance out the otherwise all-white interior, the VIP room is finished in a darker palette. During spring and summer, these darker shades also contrast with the colour of the trees outside.
      Dongqi Design gave the second floor a bright white finishXC273 has been shortlisted in the large retail interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Other projects in the running include a second-hand bookshop in Shanghai that uses supermarket-style crates to display its wares and a reusable sales showroom with fabric walls.
      The photography is by Raitt Liu.

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