% Arabica Chengdu SKP, China, 2022

Located on a corner site within a shopping center in Chengdu, this café draws inspiration from the region’s rainy climate, where traditional architecture often features deep roof overhangs for protection from the weather. The shopping center adopts this local character through a large copper canopy that shelters the surrounding walkways and defines the identity of the site. The design extends this canopy into the café, dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior. Along the two street-facing edges, a fringe zone functions as an extension of the public sidewalk, allowing visitors to experience the café as part of the urban streetscape. This open, active perimeter contrasts with the more enclosed service spaces located deeper within the plan, creating a clear spatial hierarchy. Viewed from the corner, the café resembles a flower opening its petals. The image echoes Chengdu’s cultural heritage. In the 10th century, Meng Chang’s charming gesture of filling the city with hibiscus flowers gave Chengdu the nickname “The Hibiscus City,” a name it still carries today.The project can therefore be seen as a contemporary interpretation of this identity—a modern hibiscus blooming within the urban landscape.

Photo : StudioSZ Justin Szeremeta