Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design

21/03/2016. [Beijing] China
metalocus, ÁNGEL BLANCO

This remodelation is the transformation of the first two floors of an office building in downtown Beijing in a "free cafe" where anyone can participate freely and altruistically.

Inside view. Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design. Photography © Xi-Xun Deng.

Inside view. Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design. Photography © Xi-Xun Deng.

Inside view from outside. Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design. Photography © Xi-Xun Deng.

Detail. Inside view. Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design. Photography © Xi-Xun Deng.

Inside view. Ban Shan Cafe by Robot3 Design. Photography © Xi-Xun Deng.

Ground floor plan and first floor plans. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Mezzanine floor plan. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Overview model. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Detail separator element. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Axonometric cabin. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Cross section on perspective. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Longitudinal section on perspective. Ban Shan Café by Robot3 Design.

Asian Robort3 study has been commissioned to reform this cafe. There have been two fundamental premises of the project: on the one hand have taken as main reference the location of the first Ban Shan Cafe in Beijing, Fragrant Hills located in a natural area of cypresses, maples, persimmon trees and smoke trees. On the other hand, not that they had a big budget, all elements are made of common materials like wood, cardboard or brick.

Descripción del proyecto por Robot3 Design

This project is located at the east side of Beijing Jing Yuan Arts Center. The owner wants to turn the first and second floors of the office building into a "free Café" where customers can stay and communicate freely. Because the first Ban Shan café is located at the foot of Fragrant Hills of Beijing, so this café downtown could smell the “hills” as well.

Budget for such a café is limited, so while building this space we could only use common materials. What is very interesting is that the storey height for the first floor is 3.8 meters, which is too high for one floor, and not high enough for two floors, so the design of this space is full of challenge. The word “Shan (mountain)” reminds us of a poem of Su Shi: “From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak; Far, near, high, low, no two parts alike. Why can’t I tell the true shape of Lu Shan? Because I myself am in the mountain.” so a crazy idea came to our mind suddenly, we dug down one meter at the center of the space, and then built a mezzanine over it. When customers walk into the dug “basement” through the mezzanine, an experience of “walking into the mountain” is presented. The floor height of the mezzanine is low, so inside it customers could only sit or lie; it is a good place for chatting for a couple of friends.

A log cabin is built under the stairs leading to the second floor, and the stairs are hidden behind the log cabin. The second floor is divided into several small spaces, instead of using solid partitions, we use shelves of green plants. The natural shapes of the plants are changed as time passes by. Sit under the sunlight and with winds breezing, it must be the most cozy and comfortable experience!

"This is the freely-organized, flexible space that we built, which is able to grow as it was alive. Every brick and wood here are signs of the workers’ efforts, and they are having a kind of dialogue with people within this space".

Pan Fei