Japanese-inspired biophilic design made Thailand's Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters café the jury favourite project in January, securing the title as our monthly competition’s winner.
A café inspired by Japanese culture in Chon Buri, Thailand, Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters provides an unforgettable spatial experience by way of statement architecture and biophilic design. Anchoring the all-timber, Idin Architects-designed space is a central baobab tree, which seemingly pushes through the curvaceous A-frame construction. Connection to nature is at the heart of the design concept – a semi-outdoor area to enjoy coffee and tea flows inward, where stretched ceilings continue a sense of openness and lightness. FRAME Awards’ January jury scored the project at a total of 7.82, in the Bar category.
Located in Soi Nartmontasevee, Thailand, the 475-sq-m café, designed by Idin Architects for client Pongpanot Thanomboon, blends Japanese-inspired design and the landlord's passion for unique plants.
‘This is an iconic example of total design,’ says Addy Walcott, creative director at M Moser Associates. ‘A stunning mix of function and experience, local vernacular and construction, sustainability and style, delivering a sculptural and living landmark to this touristic town.’ Ribbon planes set at different levels give the structures a levitating effect; inside, different zones make the customer wayfinding dynamic. The pine wood cladding is but one reference to the environs: flower petals are embedded in the terrazzo flooring, as if fallen from the trees. Outdoor seating is made from resin mixed from coffee grounds and rice. Notes Pepa Casado D’Amato: ‘The project creates a space completely fused with the exterior through an organic grid, treating the sky and vegetation as an integrating element and protagonist of the space.’
Zurich's flagship Freitag store drew inspiration from a supermarket for its 30-year-anniversary pop-up.
Cave-like geometries and stand-out hues characterize the interior of restaurant Sung Taipei, designed by Design Apartment.
Accessories brand Freitag earned our first honourable mention, for its 30th-anniversary pop-up – a clever nod to a Swiss supermarket that imitated the team’s product in the company’s early years. Designed in-house, the grocery-themed activation (7.71, Pop-Up Store) was hosted by Freitag’s Zurich flagship. Taiwanese restaurant Sung Taipei followed closely in the scoring, at 7.6 in our Material Bank-sponsored Colour category. Inspired by visionary architect Luis Barragán, Design Apartment’s interiors emphasize cave-like geometries with stand-out hues.
Various Associates used dark tones to curate a dramatic atmosphere at the Future City exhibition centre in Shenzhen.
Office of Gold Child designed the Jackie Xu Private Residence to especially reflect the needs of the owner's pets, paying mind to four-legged-friendly interventions from material to colour choices.
Submitted in the category Cultural Space, Shenzhen exhibition centre Future City by Various Associates (7.45) landed in fourth place. The dark-tone interior achieves a dramatic atmosphere through the use of acrylic, hollowed-out metal and intriguing patterns; these surfaces set an otherworldly backdrop for display material on urbanism. Jackie Xu Private Residence, an Office of Goldchild domestic project with special attention for the resident’s pets – from the materials and colours to the spatial interventions employed – completes the honourable mentions list for January. It totalled 7.4 for Large Apartment.
