Going to cafes and having café dates became quite popular during the lockdown. All around the town, new cafes sprang out of nowhere. Cafes have become so popular that the convincing, jaw-droppingly beautiful designs have received less attention. This is a list of several adorable, quaint, and lovely cafés.
1. Anh Coffee Roastery, Vietnam.
The Anh Coffee Roastery cafe, completed in 2021, is described by the studio as a “fluffy sanctuary.” Under the direction of architect Lai Chinh Truc, the Red5 studio team has cleverly operated the site’s significant front setback to highlight the building’s exterior design and entry.
An open sitting area arranged in a straight line represents the front setback. The Red5 studio claims the intention was to evoke “the scent of the basalt red land growing coffee on cloudy days” in the tourists’ thoughts.
The terracotta floors and the ceiling-mounted wire mesh system persist within the roastery. On the left is a long coffee shop with a backdrop of several coffee kinds placed in little nooks. A long, curved table that travels around the room is an intriguing element. The height of the table changes according to its flow, defining the seating uniquely.
An outside spiral staircase that connects to the building’s façade and is visible from the front of the cafe is the primary means of transportation between the two levels. The white metal grid, which curves and flows outward to define the staircase railing, partially encloses the first-floor outside walls.
2. Banyan Tree Cafe, Mumbai.
This area was formerly an ice plant, but Kamal Malik with his partners Abhijit Mehta and Amardeep Tony Singh, brought about a significant makeover. There are five distinct regions inside the 10,000 square feet: The Banyan Tree Café is in the courtyard surrounding the banyan tree. The Substation is a bookshop and reading room that sells exquisite architectural equipment and literature. The Cathedral is the main display venue, and The Ice Factory is where performances happen. The title, “Refractions,” alludes to the restoration plan of Malik Architecture.
Not much has changed from the factory’s original Burmese teak wood—just the necessary gear to ensure safety. The material surface’s deterioration and the uneven discoloration of its many sections reveal stories about the building’s past and intended legacy for the future. The mission’s three metaphors are the banyan tree, which stands for the seed of transformation, the ice, which signifies the cyclical cycle of change and the factory, which represents the voice of the Indian craftsman.
3. Fika, Chennai.
Chennai’s Fika features an orangery, a bakery, a café, and an auditorium. Along with the attic, and a communal area, all on the first level. The café aimed to create a relaxed environment where people could have a good time without relying on alcohol. Fika, which translates to “coffee time” in Swedish, embraces the idea of getting together and forgoes traditional Scandinavian design aspects in favour of a cosier aesthetic. The room has a hybrid style that combines rustic and contemporary elements. The auditorium is here because the badam trees were already there.
The main building’s bakery, which resembles a dollhouse, was built out of white cardboard with black lines. Everything has the fictitious black marker lines drawn on it, including the ceiling fan. Soon, youngsters may engage in activities while their parents have some alone time in the children’s play area on one side. The polished cement floor showcased brass items while cables were suspended from the ceiling, resembling a tree.
3. Elgin Cafe, Amritsar.
The 1,100-square-foot interiors, which bear the names of the Viceroy of India and the previous Earl of Elgin, exude an air of classic elegance. Sanchit Arora of Studio Renesa was instantly drawn to the room’s potential to establish an urban haven in the bustling city of Amritsar. Lord Elgin’s plan is centred around the glass home idea, which combines traditional elegance with contemporary design. The design’s guiding principle was to provide a room with a vivid colour scheme that would convey an exotic sensation of escape while yet offering visual luxury and practical refinement. The rooms provide a relaxed, colonial atmosphere. This is accomplished via opulent materials, traditional design features, and a well-thought-out arrangement that promotes indulgence and relaxation.
The arrangement of potted plants was intended to reinforce the sense of an inside garden by mirroring the lush exterior surroundings. Brass and green with inlays of teak wood were used for the flooring to give an upscale feel. Rich prints and substantial wood pieces coexist on the walls, while the ceiling lets in natural light that heightens the room’s openness. The colour scheme is a tasteful combination of brass, teak wood, and green.
4. September Café, Vietnam.
September Cafe in Vietnam has curving steel stripes to mimic a bird’s nest. The façade incorporates several surrounding steel structures and replicates the impression of the bird’s nest from a different angle thanks to its width and height. Gentle neutral tones like white, beige, rose-orange, and natural wood colours were employed to evoke a comforting and distinctive atmosphere of September.
The ground floor is intended to evoke the idea of bringing the garden into the house. It gives off an “indoor but outdoor” ambience that makes it comfortable for people to stand at the bar and watch people mix. For individuals interested in attending as part of a group or prolonging their stay, provisions are accessible on the second and third levels. The rooftop doubles as an aerial garden, and the lamp section—which doubles as the smoking area and the focal point of the area for frequent check-ins—resembles a branch holding a nest. The organic forms found in nature, such as bird’s nests, curves, branches, and birds perched on branches, serve as the primary inspiration for furniture and various environmental settings, including urban landscapes.
References:
- Architectural Digest (2023). The World’s 29 Most Beautifully Designed Coffee Shops [Online] Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/best-modern-coffee-shop-design-slideshow [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- Vogue India (2022). 10 most beautiful cafes in India for those who love decor as much as food [Online] Available at: https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/10-most-beautiful-cafes-in-india-for-those-who-love-decor-as-much-as-food [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- STIRworld (2022). Red5 studio’s roastery in Vietnam mimicks a monsoon-drenched coffee estate [Online] Available at: https://www.stirworld.com/see-features-red5-studio-s-roastery-in-vietnam-mimicks-a-monsoon-drenched-coffee-estate [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- Architectural Digest India (2022). Here’s how an old ice factory in Mumbai was transformed into a cultural hub [Online] Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/heres-how-an-old-ice-factory-in-mumbai-was-transformed-into-a-cultural-hub/ [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- Architectural Digest India (2019). Check out Chennai’s newest hangout that sports a Scandinavian design [Online]Available at: https://-.architecturaldigest.in/content/fika-rustic-chic-meets-make-believe/ [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- Architectural Digest India (2024). This new restaurant in Amritsar feels like a chapter out of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ [Online] Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/this-new-restaurant-in-amritsar-feels-like-a-chapter-out-of-alice-in-wonderland-lord-elgin-review/ [Accessed September 23, 2024]
- World Architecture Community (2021). September Cafe is designed to look like a bird’s nest with curved steel stripes in Vietnam [Online] Available at: https://worldarchitecture.org/article-links/evecv/september-cafe-is-designed-to-look-like-a-bird-s-nest-with-curved-steel-stripes-in-vietnam.html [Accessed September 23, 2024]
