Modernising Chinese Tea Culture through Design and Terroir Appreciation

May 29, 2023

Pure NFTea’s flagship stall is located in C Future City, Futian District, Shenzhen, China. Owned by a young entrepreneur whose family has been in the tea business for decades, with their own tea plantation and factory, the brand’s name “Pure” is a transliteration of “Pu’er”, a popular Chinese tea. As a young individual, the client hoped to offer fresh perspectives of China’s tea culture and challenge young people’s perceptions of Chinese tea. He desires to introduce tea to the younger generation, and establish a trendy tea beverage brand that appeals to them.

 

 

EK Design was commissioned to let the tea culture speak to young people rather than asking them to learn about it. To that end, the design team creatively reinterpreted the space by transforming the spatial layout and introducing new ideas into old structures. The design team transformed traditional spatial experiences and created a dynamic space that interests the younger generations to engage in the tea culture.

The space is comprised of both indoor and outdoor areas, both of which have a triangular layout. In terms of spatial relations, the tea store and the shopping mall where it sits mutually attract traffic. Therefore, the designers faced more challenges in creating an independent style but also had more freedom to put inspiration into practice, which means “more openness, freedom, and creativity”.

 

 

“How should we present the space? What perspective should we take? What more can the design generate?”  To tackle the challenge of the acute triangle horizontal plane, which is considered a “negative space” in architecture, the design team maximised the use of the space while minimising the sense of narrowness.

First, the designers added beams, which are parallel to the triangle, to existing columns and creating new decorative columns at the joints. The next step was creating passages out of the angles, thus making use of the corners. In this way, an asymmetrical yet balanced frame was constructed on the horizontal plane, to create a new space in a deconstructive manner.

One side of the triangle becomes a display and operation platform to keep the kitchen out of sight. One side becomes the storefront and bar counter to connect with the public area of the shopping mall, and the other side is left open to connect with the outdoor space and embrace nature.

 

 

The sun (tenon) and moon (mortise) represent the yang and yin elements in Chinese philosophy. The changes in mortise-and-tenon structures reflect the evolution of Chinese architecture. The design team used mortise-and-tenon structures as joints between beams and columns to create a flexible frame on the vertical dimension.

Rather than adopting the traditional array arrangement of mortise-and-tenon structures, the design team opted for an irregular structure in a deconstructive way. This resulted in an asymmetrical balance between the floor and elevation, giving the space a sense of modernity. Beneath the weathered and rough texture of the columns lies the source of lighting, symbolising the future and technology and creating a stark contrast between the past and the future.

 

 

The tea mountain, enveloped in mist and drizzle, stands tall with its undulating outline. Looking closely at the painting amidst the tea fog, customers will see the beauty of traditional China in spring, with refreshing scenery and abundant vitality.

The painting is inspired by the “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” scroll, and features a contrasting blend of realistic and romantic elements. It incorporates three ancient paintings, namely, “Shanglin Park”, “Huishan Tea Party” and “Tea Extraction”, and has been edited to combine both modern ideology and traditional copper plate printing techniques. This painting represents the romantic ideals of ancient Chinese culture through its composition and spatial arrangement, creating a sense of affinity and harmony within the space.

 

 

The red soil of Yiwu has a saturated colour that resembles Pu’er tea. It is the perfect soil for nourishing Pu’er trees. In the project, the design team extracted the natural colours of both the soil and tea to showcase the unique terroir of Pu’er and the rich history of Chinese tea.

Weathered red soil has a mottled texture that gives off an ancient vibe. The red finishes replicate the weathered fracture surface of the soil visually and tactilely. The black volcanic stone slabs create an interesting contrast with the “red soil”, depicting the ancient natural evolution process.

 

 

The triangular outdoor space, enclosed by mortise-and-tenon modules, is connected to the indoor area. The low, flexible structures provide both seating and partitioning. Bar seating seamlessly blends with existing beams and columns, almost as if it is an extension of the environment. Asymmetrical booth structures are arranged in a harmonious manner, and tables are strategically placed in the corners to fully utilise the space.

Pure NFTea provides a welcoming and relaxed environment for all guests, whether they are young people socialising with friends or seniors enjoying some quiet time alone. With spring just around the corner, a visit to Pure NFTea to experience the joy of tea brewing in the beautiful, sunny weather is highly recommended.

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