The buzzing ambience of Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley has set the tone for this cafe by BLUE Architecture Studio, which is centred on a water-filled courtyard for people-watching.
Kuanzhai Alley is the collective name for three parallel roads running through downtown Chengdu, encompassing Kuan Alley, Zhai Alley and Jing Alley.
The % Arabica cafe is set in Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley district
The trio of streets dates back to the Qing dynasty. But since the early 2000s, it has become populated with a number of trendy shops, bars, restaurants and cafes including % Arabica, which now occupies a former home.
Informed by these bustling streets, BLUE Architecture Studio designed the coffee brand's latest outpost to be "like a small neighbourhood where people can stroll and stay for a while". The cafe's interior is designed to resemble a street
"We believe that a cafe provides more than just a drink," explained the studio. "More significantly, coffee provides opportunities for people to gather, communicate and fully experience the local urban culture."
"By extending the vibrant living and cultural atmosphere of the alley into the cafe, we renovated the site to make it a dynamic public space that provides a rich and solid experience," the studio added.
Grey bricks line the floor as well as forming benches and planters
A pavement-style pathway runs through % Arabica's meandering interior, formed from the same grey bricks that are ubiquitous to the Kua...