A brand is a tool of cultural communication. In the interior design of HEYTEA store at Hongqiao Xintiandi, we chose space as a medium and try to find the core of emerging brands of tea drinks from local market, and to establish a unique identity of this pioneering brand.
Project Name: HEYTEA Store at Hongqiao Xintiandi
Project Location: Hongqiao Xintiandi, Shanghai
Interior & Installation Design: DAS Lab (www.das-design.cn)
Principal Designer: Li Jingze
Design Team: Qian Yu, Xiang Guo, Duan Jinjin, Lu Zhangyu, Chen Zeyuan
Area: 120 m2
Key Materials: Stainless Steel, Terrazzo, Diatom mud
Design Period: 12/2018-02/2019
Construction Period: 02/2019-05/2019
Photographer: Shao Feng
Project description and drawings offered by DAS Lab
Extended from the brand’s identity — “inspiration of tea”, DAS Lab tries to connect the territorial symbol and the contemporary retail under spacial context. The concept of the design is composed of three parts: internationalized aesthetic combines the locality and contemporaneity of territorial symbols; highly recognizable focal points in commercial spaces; the reproducibility of construction material and crafts.
The space, structured by stainless steel in sliver gray, made a distinct contrast with the large area of red mortar, conveying the idea of a balance between the store’s business performance and the brand’s cultural value. The red motar simulated the texture of rammed earth, a traditional material in China, which delivered a vigorous power when in comparison with the lightness of the structure, thus an oriental sense of control and release is raised within the space.
The conception of the space started with a section, where the light penetrates into the interior through the rectangular openings on the facade, and the double-height oblique ceiling has cut out a new architectural form. We hope such approach itself could be powerful enough to show people the boundary of spaces and the results of physical experiences.
The idea of Local is a respond to Eastern context, territorial culture and business performance after a thorough study upon them. Such respond brought back the nature of locality. At the same time, the contemporary space interpreted the brand of HEYTEA and conveyed its soul to the widest customers.
DAS Lab
Founded in Shanghai, DAS Lab, as a subsidiary of DAS Design, is an experimental design studio led by founding partner and creative director Li Jingze. We aim to provide high-quality design services with devotion to exploring the cutting-edge and forward-looking creative solutions to pluralistic business formats, culture, retail, F&B, and hotel whilst contributing unique high-standard commercial design works to the industry.
People say that boundary exists in architecture, space or human. DAS Lab excels at deviating from common cognition and wanders on the boundaries of thinking, finding out the unique memory points in context of fuzziness and uncertainty then fully controlling the interpretation from concept to implementation to deliver the unforgettable space experience. High completeness of design is the only standard we always adhere to.
DAS Lab has collaborated with clients from different backgrounds such as Holiland, HEYTEA, MUJOSH, STARTER, VANKE, LONGFOR Group, and LostVilla. The studio has been featured in leading design media worldwide, including FRAME, YATZER, YELLOWTRACE, ARCHIDAILY, ELLE DECO. In 2019, DAS Lab has been awarded by German IF Design Award.
Li Jingze
