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Zolaism Café Aranya

B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio

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Bronze
the frameless full-height glass curtain walls introduce plenty of sunlight into the indoor space - Eiichi Kano
general bird-eye’s view of the project - Eiichi Kano
night view - Eiichi Kano
the frameless full-height glass curtain walls introduce plenty of sunlight into the indoor space - Eiichi Kano

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Restaurant
6.77
5.19
6.94
6.06
6.24
Arthur Guimarães
Arthur Guimarães Chief Executive Officer at Arthur Guimarães Architects
Loved the concept! Really interesti...
10
9
9.5
9
9.38
Xuechen Chen
Xuechen Chen Architectural Designer at X.C Studio
The project is interesting on many...
9.5
9
9.5
9
9.25
Mark Eric Magno
Mark Eric Magno Principal at Aedas Interiors
Stunning architecture by using the...
9.8
8.5
9.5
9
9.2
Jessica Adkins
Jessica Adkins Brand Experience Design Lead Europe at M Moser Associates
The bold, well-defined concept effe...
9.5
9
9.8
9.5
9.45
Zizhao Li
Zizhao Li Cofounder and Chief Designer at DSC · Design
The concept of design reflect the b...
9.03
8.66
8.85
8.66
8.8
Serhii Makhno
Serhii Makhno Founder at MAKHNO Studio
8
8
9
7
8
Mike McGirr
Mike McGirr Managing Partner and Design Principal at red design
Love the approach to the design.the...
9.8
9.35
9.17
9.26
9.4
Josse Popma
Josse Popma Partner at Popma ter Steege Architects
Brilliant. The pureness of the con...
9
9
10
8
9
Burton Baldridge
Burton Baldridge Founder at Baldridge Architects
There is simply nothing that I disl...
10
10
10
10
10
Wenqing Zhou
Wenqing Zhou Founder at Add Culture & Creative Development
9
8
8
8
8.25
Katie Mitchell
Katie Mitchell Managing Director at Seen Studios
8
8
9
7.5
8.13
Suvi Saloniemi
Suvi Saloniemi Head of Exhibitions at Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design Museum
9
7
9
7
8
Pooja Shah-Mulani
Pooja Shah-Mulani Partner and Design Director at LW Design
7
8
7
8
7.5
Harkaran Singh Boparai
Harkaran Singh Boparai Founder at Space 5
7
8
7
7
7.25
Yan Zhang
Yan Zhang Cofounder at say architects
8.16
7.44
7.95
7.23
7.7
Jianan Shan
Jianan Shan Cofounder at say architects
7.85
7.13
8.58
8.37
7.98
Anna Gitelman
Anna Gitelman Associate Professor at Suffolk University
Amazing piece of architecture - an...
10
9
10
9
9.5
Client
Zolaism
Floor area
240 ㎡
Completion
2021
Social Media
Instagram
Furniture

The project is the new store of the new-Chinese-style dessert brand “Zolaism” in Aranya, Qinhuangdao, one of the most popular seaside resort communities sitting 3-4 hours drive from the central city of Beijing. 

The design starts from nature. In the vast world, humans are small and lonely entity. The tranquility and vastness of nature help people to escape from the rhythm of urban life and to return to their true nature. Here, we hope the architecture can be a spiritual place for people to settle down. The design also starts from emotion. 

Living in highly-industrialized and information-based modern cities, the spaces and the products we use are mostly the results of data analysis and rational judgement. Under the condition, people can hardly build emotional connection with objects and spaces; they can hardly feel truly relaxed and free. We contend that today’s architecture needs more irrational characteristics in order to highlight the value of emotions. In the open small plaza, several rocks with natural form are scattered in between, supporting a large eave. With its back against the north facade of the original cinema building, the architecture of Zolaism is featured with three sides of glass curtain wall enclosures, forming a whole space that integrates the interior and the exterior. 

The organic form of the stones, on one hand, seems random and improvisational; on the other hand, the stones with different sizes play the role of hidden steel column structure, and also help divide functional areas. Inside the two largest rocks are private resting rooms, and the shapes have combined the function of fixed seating at the bottom. The scattered seatings spread freely throughout the spaces between the mountain rocks. The plan gives the whole space a sense of fluidity and openness, providing guests a constantly changing spatial experience while walking. The whole construction process is full of unknown and uncertainty. To a certain extent, we gave up the overall control of architectural form. Instead, we let our hands to think and allow the design to grow with the flow. 

With the guidance of perceptual experience and adhoc judgement, we gradually refined the design to a more mature scheme. The architecture with such design and construction process cannot be replicated or replaced, which endows the space with unique values of emotions and strength. In a seaside resort community like Aranya away from the noise of the cities, people need places to rest their bodies and spirits. The sensual and perceptual space we’ve created with our intuition not just provides an environment close to nature, but also inspires a state of mind of returning to nature. It encourages people to put away the burden of urban life to get relaxation and freedom of minds.