Client: Café Del Volcán
Location Minghang District Shanghai
Year of completion: 2016
Area: 150sqm
Photographer: Raulronic
Café Del Volcán have earned a reputation as one of Shanghai’s leaders in specialty coffee roasting. Their popularity is apparent from the line outside the door of their first cafe on Yongkang road, as well as their successful Coffee Club and various training programs.
In order to cater for higher numbers at club meetings, and to meet growing demand of whole bean sales, they needed a larger space that would meet all of their requirements.
For their second location, the client stressed the importance of this multi – functionality, and that above all the design must provide a practical space that facilitates the production of their high quality product. To this end, the cafe was envisioned to be more akin to a roasting lab. The roastery, training area and cafe each required certain equipment and conditions, with a level of flexibility. Finding a balance between separation and unification of functions became the backbone to the spatial strategy.
The cafe feels simultaneously cosy and spacious, loosely delineated by the timber ‘rug’ in the center, the tables and stools spill over the edge in a casual haphazard manner. The clients requested flexible seating, than can be combined as a single communal table during events. Fixed timber benches line both roastery and southern window side. During the lunchtime hours, the space is bathed natural sunlight, owing to the removal of part of the wall to maximise window openings.
The materials and colour palette were chosen to build on the already distinguishable brand identity of Café Del Volcán – clean and pure, natural and honest. It mirrors their approach to coffee making. Materials such as the ash whose natural patterns provide a warm, down-to-earth atmosphere are accentuated against the backdrop of clean white walls and white terrazzo floor.