The interfaces between Seesaw and all its neighbors, especiall shopping street facade, together with the branding of Seesaw spirit, was the initial focus of the design. With the extension of outdoor seating patio and the setback of semi-exterior seating, the alienation feel and isolation from central Huaihai Road scale have been largely reduced. Everything inside is set around the movie star, the central bar counters where all kinds of coffee production are showcased.
The general tone is defined as a taste of Industrial Feel plus Elegance. The original concrete columns are preserved and cleared up. Brushed stainless steel bar top coincide with coffee machine and coffee appliances. The introduction of plywood on the other hand, neutralizes the hardness of metal, cheers up the tone with its beautiful section texture.
Conceived as inner structure in most cases, plywood is brought to light here as structure, façade and ventilation grille for the bar counter, it also serves as fit-out furniture, menu block imprinted with letters and so on. The island bar encourages interaction between inside and outside, coffee fans and barista. The self-service window cut out, together with the popular Ice drip installation, opens up the kitchen and activates the dialogue on both sides. And all at the same time, while enjoying every drop of coffee, people found themselves revealed in the mirror above.
Photos by: Shan Liang, Shiyun Qian
