4 minute read
The Magic of Tea
Architecture As Narration has brought a bold and pure design to a tea shop in stark contrast to Disneyland next door.
Located by the entrance to Disneytown – a shopping, dining and entertainment district next to Shanghai Disneyland – the Heytea store is the first building that many visitors experience, and as such is key to establishing a magical atmosphere for their journey around the theme park.
So its recent refurbishment carried an extra weight of responsibility for the design team at Architecture As Narration.
The challenge it set itself was to change people’s stereotype impression of a store in a theme park.
Architecture As Narration’s concept to do just that was a futuristic fantasy and a pure white ‘parallel universe’.
The design of the renovated store was inspired by the resort itself: it was prompted by the classic round building at the centre of Shanghai Disney Resort, a neoclassical example of European-inspired architecture which echoes the Pantheon.
Facing the restriction and challenge of not changing the outer space and interior walls of the building, the design created a centripetal space by taking advantage of the
unique structure and shape of the original architecture. The design created a thrilling main space by wrapping irremovable walls and covering the core of the building with a dome.
As for space design, the design team took the original round structure of the building as the foundation, achieved the imagery of the round planetary orbits and extracted the conceptual elements of curves and concentric circles. Curves in tiers extend the space and lead people from the order taking counter to the round space in the centre of the store, which is also the waiting area for picking up tea.
The pure white daylight from the high dome shines with a dreamlike magnificent sense of future and shows the infinite changes of the inspiration universe.
The choice of a simple expression of abstract space showed Architecture As Narration’s confidence in the Heytea brand culture.
The pure white design is also defined and reinforced by every customer. When visitors, especially those dressed in colourful clothes, stop to take a rest and drink tea, they create a sharp colour contrast and become ‘performers’ in the space.
‘The challenge of the lighting designer, Zuo Xuan of Mulai Lighting Design, was to integrate lighting to articulate the architects’ vision’
Moreover, an interesting contrast is created between the simple indoor sci-fi design and the outdoor fairy-tale Disney buildings. The contrast between the two styles creates an interesting and inspiring space and arouses people’s emotional resonance.
Meanwhile, inspired by scientists’ guess on parallel universes and Disney’s multiverse, the design team formed a spatial structure by parallel lines developing from the circle centre, and organised all functional spaces in a parallel and orderly way.
The continuous curves extend outwards from the central dome towards the seating areas, where people can stop after passing through the doorway formed by the multilayer curves.
Following the moving planetary orbits, people slow down and enter a ‘parallel universe’ from the highly colourful Disney
World bustling outside with excited kids. Then, it seems the motion of space-time slows down gradually. Picking up a cup of Heytea, people can take a calming and quiet break.
The challenge of the lighting designer, Zuo Xuan of Mulai Lighting Design, was to integrate lighting to articulate the architects’ vision.
Warm white LEDs gently wash the green roof structure from the edge and highlight the cupola in the centre.
This warm light accentuates the cool white light of the interior. Here, flexible LED track in 5000K is integrated into the roof and articulates the concentric rings of the ceiling.
A control system modulates the intensity, gently ‘rotating’ the light to emphasise its circularity.
Recognising its innovation and boldness, the project was long-listed in the small retail interiors category of the Dezeen Awards.
PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Parallel Universes at Heytea, Shanghai
Design: Architecture As Narration
Leader designer: Yan Junjie
Lighting design: Mulai Lighting Design
Lighting supplier: Eusse Lighting
Photography: Haytea, Lv Xiaobin, Architecture As Narration
