The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community
March 14, 2020
Text: Elissaveta M. Brandon
Tomo Design Goes Futuristic for Heytea Lab Flagship in Shenzhen
At the entrance, Tomo Design has juxtaposed traditional materials like stone and brick with a more contemporary palette of metals and digital screens. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.
Chinese tea brand Heytea has had its eye on millennials since the start. No wonder then, that new consumerism and experiential design are the order of the day in the company’s newest outpost in Shenzhen’s OCT Harbor Store.
The new flagship, called Heytea Lab, was designed by Tomo Design, which optimized every possible consumption procedure to create an immersive and interactive experience for Heytea customers. “The design deconstructs the consumers’ demands and feelings, and extends the potential value of Heytea in the background,” says Tomo Design founder and director Uno Chan.
The Tea Geek Lab is set under a striking sloped ceiling where myriad metal textures add depth and character to the space. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.
Starting with a landscaped entrance that includes a futuristic Zen courtyard with curving benches and seating aplenty, Tomo Design paints a rich picture before customers have even stepped inside. And with venues such as a Dessert Lab featuring a silver metal bar counter and a Tea Geek Lab set under a striking sloped ceiling, the interiors are equally evocative.
The landscaped courtyard greets customers with a medley of custom seating, patterned brickwork, and a steel rock formation. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.In the Illustration Lab, seating is arranged at the periphery of the space, giving the illusion of a more immersive experience. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.A minimalist seating area overlooks the leafy outdoors, providing a visual link between the product sold and its origins in nature. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.A minimalist Zen courtyard encourages interaction between landscape, objects, and people. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.The Ice-making and Dessert Lab features a textured metal bar counter and a cluster of lights. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.A geometric steel staircase cuts through the center of the building; around it, an LED screen injects color and moving art into the space. Photography courtesy of Tomo Design.
