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Trois

NC Design & Architecture

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Bronze
Interior - HDP photography
Circular window peering inside - HDP photography
Facade - HDP photography
Interior - HDP photography

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Restaurant
6.53
6.47
7.07
5.36
6.36
Michela Falcone
Michela Falcone Architect / Educator at Experimental Architecture / BNU University
a generous portion of each floor is...
5
5
7
5
5.5
Amber Feijen
Amber Feijen Spatial and Concept Designer at 5AM
5
5
6
4.5
5.13
Qi Wei
Qi Wei Member, Urban Renewal Professional Committee, Vanke Shanghai Area at Vanke Group
6
6
6
4
5.5
Melissa Amarelo
Melissa Amarelo Cofounder and Creative Director at Toi Toi Toi Creative Studio
Good balance between solid lines an...
6
8
7
5
6.5
Mao Hua
Mao Hua Founder at EK Design
5
5
5
4
4.75
Massimiliano Tosetto
Massimiliano Tosetto Managing Director at Lodes
6
8
7
4
6.25
Bernhard Kurz
Bernhard Kurz Founder at IFUB*
A house for a single family with ov...
5
5
5
2
4.25
Thijn de Ruijter
Thijn de Ruijter Founder and Executive Partner at Karin Lauwers Agencies
4.52
4.45
4.45
4.1
4.38
Astin le Clercq
Astin le Clercq Cofounder and Design Director at Modem
4
6
5
4
4.75
Simal Yesiltepe
Simal Yesiltepe Founder and Creative Director at Simal Yes Studio
5
6
5
3
4.75
Karen El Asmar
Karen El Asmar Architect & Interaction Designer at Tech
5
5
5
4
4.75
Britt Berden
Britt Berden Senior Creative Strategist at FranklinTill
5
6
5
5
5.25
Claudia Mazzucato
Claudia Mazzucato Associate Designer and Architect at THDP
5
6.02
6.17
5
5.55
Bob Chen
Bob Chen Founder at Bob Chen Design Office
4.26
3.99
4.08
4.17
4.13
Lisa Torreggiani
Lisa Torreggiani Partner at Monkeydu
5
4.5
4.5
4
4.5
Sophie van Winden
Sophie van Winden Director at Owl Design
5
8
7
4
6
Client
Trois
Floor area
78 ㎡
Completion
2021
Budget
Confidential
Social Media
Instagram

Inspired by the city’s iconic public housing estates and its playgrounds, which can be found all across the territory and have become social media attractions in themselves, the cafe is immediately recognisable, a vivid blast of colour and texture among the city’s sea of minimalist, all-white coffee shops. 

The main challenge was the location as the café is situated on a bland, busy stretch of highway surrounded by car dealerships and office blocks. However, we used this to our advantage to create an interesting focal point through juxtaposition of brutalist geometry and cheerful coral-pink facade. The recessed entrance and signage signals the importance of dimension, while a single circular window looks into what appears to be a basketball court, with a glass-topped communal table in the shape of a free-throw area. 

We strategically used colour to delineate the playful interior. The front bar and main room is swathed in shades of pink, from ceiling to serving counter and plaster walls, which have been finished to resemble concrete. Custom made soap-like resin blocks emit a warm glow, with concealed lighting throughout a stand-in for natural light. The back and flooring is a palette of pastel blue-greens. A ceramic-tiled bench runs along the rear wall, and trellises add depth and texture, mimicking the many public resting areas in the public housing estates . The custom made tiles are enlarged versions of the mosaic tiles found in housing blocks, with each piece individually attached to the wall without any grouting.