April 23, 2019

Text: Jesse Dorris

Latitude Architectural Group Goes Geometric for CupOne Coffee Shop in Beijing

Entrusted with the design for the 3,300-square-foot CupOne coffee shop in eastern Beijing, the Latitude Architectural Group decided to forgo the usual dark colors and cozy furniture of the traditional java joint. Instead, the Beijing-Madrid based firm looked to geometry.

Triangles form a lattice across the ceiling, and also the legs of the café tables. Both contrast effectively with the soft wave of corrugated aluminum along the walls. “The idea of using the curved shape appeared quickly,” says founder and principal architect Manuel Navarro Zornoza, “due to its smoothness, continuity, and flexibility to create areas with different levels of privacy.”

Read more: 10 Simply Amazing Cafés

The design team installed two types of tiles, each a different size and color, parallel to the ceiling and oblique to the benches. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

The brand’s signature color, a cool white, naturally became the palette. “We were afraid the project would be very flat,” he says, “so the challenge was to use materials with texture, like the graphic design on the walls, to create a sense of depth.”

Custom curving banquettes are covered in gray leather. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

But it’s all about the product. “The curved shape is also inspired by the coffee cups,” says Zornoza, which certainly gives the space a buzz.

Keep scrolling to view more images of the project >

Custom white-lacquered tables and chairs lend a touch of individuality. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

When viewed from outside, the aluminum panels resemble chic coffee filters. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

CupOne’s main façade is entirely glass. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

Panels of corrugated aluminum contrast with the pendants’ soft light. Photography courtesy of Hector Pei.

Looks like white interiors are quite a trend, especially in café projects. Check out the 2018 Best of Year Winner for Coffee/Tea, a tranquil tea shop in Guangzhou, China.

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