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“As we built the café, we aimed to deliver experiences, positive energy, and inspirations to all those who visit, regardless of their purposes, be they chilling out or touring around to cherish the atmosphere or be inspired by the design.” One of the owners of Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters said.
At this time, it’s not too exaggerated to say coffee shops that used to be just a rest area to stop by during a trip have become one of the must-visit destinations. This idea also applies to Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters, a sub-brand of the renowned Nana Coffee Roasters, which is introduced outside of the capital city for the first time.
Harudot Chonburi can be seen as a sequel of the absolute difference in styles of Nana Coffee Roasters Bangna, which was crafted by the same team of architecture talents from IDIN Architects. The requirement of the Bangna branch is to blur the boundaries of the architecture so that visitors can indulge in the taste of coffee with the building only serving as a background. But for Harudot in Chonburi, it serves differently as a flagship store of this major city. So, the owner’s requirement and intention are to make the building stand out and present itself as a new memorable landmark of Chonburi.
Harudot = Beginning, Prosperity, Fresh Growth
“This design is a collaboration between NANA and another owner who is so interested in plants. Exotic trees, spotted leaves, and baobabs are truly standing out in the design. It was one of the briefs since the first day. We then kept it as our background information. What we’ve noted in mind is attributed to the Haru + Dot where haru (in Japanese) refers to spring and Dot means the beginning. Once realizing the meanings, we then thought about beginning, prosperity, or fresh growth and we want to house an atmosphere of trees passing through. It’s like we once threw a seed inside the building, and it finally protruded outside the architecture and bore fruits.” An architect from IDIN Architects said.
The architects chose a simple gable form, which reflects humility and gives a touch of Japan. The interior is packed with different dynamic spaces to create emotional contrast. As we observe the exterior, the place consists of 3 gable-shaped buildings, the size of which is divided by functions to make sure that the building will not look too bulky.
The function housed under the first gable roof is an entrance hall and the front counter to make orders. The 2nd gable offers seating areas for customers while the third one functions as a restroom, service room, kitchen, and meeting room.
The architecture that narrates alongside the landscape
Within these 3 gables also hide two outdoor courts that divide the space into an outdoor seating area with outdoor furniture that creates a worry-free use experience even during the rainy season. This spot is also a location of a baobab that serves as a landmark of this territory.
The space under the 3 pediments was exploded to create an intersection of the space. After that, the architects removed some partitions to offer a continuous space between the 3 buildings. “When we tested the mass, we realized how interesting it was and how it could fulfill the requirement. Because it’s seamless when you get into the building, giving some excitement, while the exterior looks calm and smooth.
Apart from the baobab outside, within the building is also another tree which shapes up a pleasant atmosphere and indirectly sets a circulation to divide the corridor between the restroom and the meeting room.
Design for Business: A promotional design
As the café will become a new tourism destination, it is necessary to design a seating area that accommodates diverse groups of people. We notice here that the space presents itself in a seat grouping design similar to the shape of a black ribbon that conforms to the form of the building. This ribbon features up-and-down steps. For those with lower scales, they would serve as seats. As for those raised, they serve as tables while those raised even higher serve as shelves. Besides, there are also other seating groups intervening in the middle to offer a chit-chat space for friends and family, and diversify the functions.
“At IDIN, we design exterior, interior and signages. So we consider them as a group. Another element that affects the sales area is the lightning. The light inside does not come in spots, but features smooth light effects from the ceiling to soften the interior look, matching with the natural wood color. Looking closer, you’ll notice that there is no down light being used here at all. What we use instead are up lights. The light will project up and spread down when it reflects with the ceiling sheet. We’ve created a cloud of light here, so every spot is instagrammable, whether food or drinks, they are totally worth your snaps.”
“We blend some fonts and quote details. They are lasered black fonts carved into black tables, which are not really visible. We want to hide those details without saying it out loud. It’d be cute when someone notices it and gets surprised by it.
Steel and Wood:
Natural materials that challenge construction
“When designing a café, as we want it to be a favorite place and Instagram-worthy landmark, what’s important is how to clearly present its location. Its characters must be remarkable. So, we tend to use only one material, in a large amount.”
IDIN always prefers natural materials, especially when those materials need to come into contact with the visitors. For the wall part, the architects then chose black-painted pine wood to create a contrast between the outside and the inside. When the building features an expanded twisting design with 2-3 cores, the wood must be planed and shaved at the site to create a beautiful form. Therefore, it became a challenge for the craftsman, but resulted in satisfying architecture.
Something More: In part of water leakage, the structure is designed using H-Beam that can be bent from the factory. It is paneled with pine wood framed both inside and outside. In the middle, there is a gap to house drainage system in case of rainy days.
In addition to the impressive taste of coffee, wherever you look, Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters always comes with details of attention, which meticulously reflect the brand identity that is ready to pass on positive vibes.
“During the first ten years of operating a coffee shop, we never spent any money on the design. At last, we realized that our design showed no concepts. There was no clear theme. We didn’t know what it actually represented. Until we launched the first branch in Yaowarat. The branch features a beautiful, clear concept and draws a very large traffic. With this, we understand how good designs promote the sales of coffee. I see here that a pleasant design or a good atmosphere for coffee indulgence enhances the value of drinking coffee and ensures the betterment of experience.” The owner added.
รับข่าวสารเรื่องการออกแบบ สถาปัตยกรรม ไลฟ์สไตล์
ทางอีเมล ที่จะส่งตรงถึงคุณทุกเดือน ลงทะเบียนได้ที่ด้านล่างนี้เลย!