FatFace 3.0 coffee shop
Fatface 3.0 is a brand new location for Fatface Coffee designed by Baicai Design. Situated on Yunji Street, Shenyang, Fatface 3.0 embodies the brand values of a niche specialty coffee shop with an unrelenting pursuit for quality and attitude. It aims to be the center pillar of what defines local coffee culture in this particular city.
Our design implants the brand values into the space, and proposes “one's own rebel" as the main thread that runs through all the elements. Rebellion is often labeled pejoratively. In this era, people are quick to jump on the bandwagon. Perhaps a spontaneous and proactive rebellion is precisely what we need in order to achieve one’s own realization. Being able to be oneself freely seems to already meet the bar of a rebel. Moreover, choosing to remain authentically true to oneself as we experience the hardships in reality is a precipitation of persistence and courage. We hope to convey such attitude of the brand through the space.
The project is located on a small street full of greenery. The original building is a one-story extension at the corner of two old-fashioned residential buildings. The gross floor area is 50 square meters. We hope to reflect the spirit of rebellion from both the exterior and the interior. Filling a small space to the brim, no design is accidental. We retained the original wall, and built a new volume from the inside as the store. Visually, the building itself manifests as a growing force and presents as if an instantaneous state for when it reaches the surrounding wall. It dialogues with its surroundings playing a role as a harmonious conflict.
The rebellion of the interior space is reflected in its flexibility, employing simplicity against complexity. The logic of the floor plan allows us to easily dismantle, reassemble and adjust the space to serve diverse functions with a solid foundation. Most importantly, it is a space that promotes interaction and communication.
In order to push the space to express itself to the fullest extent, we kept minimal decorations, leaving only plain beige walls, letting the compositional relationships in the space stand out. The minimalist design highlights the sloping windows, drawing your eyes’ attention to the contrasting image of the old building and the sky outside. At the same time, the accompanying light and shadow naturally brings out and enhances the beauty in all our materials and details.
As for furniture, we have designed for it to reach maximum potential and versatility. When all the furniture is gathered into an island as a whole, the 6m x 1.5m countertop has a dramatic visual impact, engaging the guests with delightful interactive experiences. This area can be used for training, tasting, or any event with a small gathering. At the same time, the space has curatorial capabilities, the uninhabited walls can serve small exhibitions from time to time. When the furniture is scattered, it can accommodate more customers and offer them better privacy than the first arrangement. Regardless of the furniture placement, we have reserved a relatively large fixed bar area for baristas to operate and greet people, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Living in a world so vast, we come to know the infinity within our own selves too. While there are certainly challenges surrounding us, perhaps resolving our internal struggles proves more significant to the individual. We hope this place can make people forget about their physical bounds, and focus on the essence of the message. We hope our design offers an uncompromising persistence, a desirable rebellion, and the freedom to explore more possibilities
