STUDI PRESEDEN

ACE Cafe 751 / dEEP Architects

Architects: dEEP ArchitectsLocation: Beijing, ChinaArchitect In Charge: LI DaodeArea: 600.0 sqmYear: 2013Photographs: Courtesy of dEEP

From the architect. ACE Cafe is a famous london R&B themed restaurant. For its first branch in China, the original 751 train station within the 798 art zone was chosen to be renovated into its first face. Apart from the heavy metal theme, we hope to revitalize the cold building through digital

technology and mechanic engineering techniques, to fill the atmosphere with breathing space and digital charm, as well as to achive a long dreamt deformable architecture for architects.

Exploded Isometric

Maintaining the major structure of the 751 train station as much as we can, as well as the current industrial style, we reconstructed the north facade of the building with operable windows of glass, using the same segmentation as the one in ACE london. As for the west facade, in consideration of occasional car entrance during function times, we designed a deformable metal facade controlled by the bar. When the metal wall is completely open, it turns a flat wall into a complex metal structure like a blooming metal flower, in memory of the punk and R&B culture.

The same we applied on the interior wall behind the bar, rise from a flat metal wall, bloom, and then return to its initial stage, like the breathing of a vivid life. All of the deformation are achived by the gears behind. Inspirated by the old steam locomotive right by the site, it also illustrates our understanding of the punk culture.

Based on the respect and protection of the existing building, no perminant architecture could be added on site and thus, we use containers on the west side of the train station to assemble to whole structure, and form a composite composed of cafe and car repair zoneon the first floor, platform and office on the second floor. And the design matches the style of original train station.

Birdsong Cafe / Studio Eight Twentythree

Courtesy of Studio Eight Twentythree

Architects: Studio Eight Twentythree

Location: Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Architects In Charge: Samir Raut, Amit Mayekar

Year: 2013

Photographs: Courtesy of Studio Eight Twentythree Graphics: Ka advertising

Execution Team: Ramchandra Kumavat, Rajdev Mahto, Shriram Morya, Manoj Wadhel, Ganesh

Kushwaha

Courtesy of Studio Eight Twentythree

From the architect. The first response when i was approached to design a cafe in a quiet and rich but

humble heritage village in the suburbs of bandra, was to make sure that the design reflects and

responds to the vocabulary of the existing surrounding precinct and speaks the same language as its

historic neighbours.

Restricting the palette to concrete and wood, was an important part of this discourse; wood; a

centuries old material and concrete not so modern, but a material for today, had a certain enigmatic

charm about them, i am vividly fascinated by the quality of both these materials to age in such an

elegant fashion and as they slowly start to speak of the stories of the place as it ages along with them

too.

Courtesy of Studio Eight Twentythree

With this thought the design process evolved accommodating a kitchen, a bakery and seating.

I wanted each element to have its own important place while still fitting in the larger design context,

the entrance arches were opened up onto the street, with a glass facade and double louvered

shutters on the outside. Simple wooden shuttered double doors with bevelled glass panes mark the

entrance. As you enter; you encounter the flooring which is a beautiful moss green shade of concrete,

flanked by the bakery counter made of poured natural coloured concrete in casts. Few of the walls

were chiselled and left as is to give the space a seemingly weathered look, as if this quaint cafe

always belonged to the neighbourhood and thus people coming here would not feel overwhelmed with

its presence. Simple but customised wooden tables, vitrines and old chairs and retro 1970s plastic

switches on teak wood bases quietly add to the this endeavour of completing the decor as if it always

existed there. The design also includes a small and cozy mezzanine constructed in old reclaimed teak

wood for live performances or maybe for a private chat aloof from the hustle bustle in the cafe below.

Courtesy of Studio Eight Twentythree

The lighting in the space is envisaged using simple incandescent bulbs with customised reclaimed

wood holders on dimmers. This are hung from a grid of hooks on the ceiling with the the wires

seemingly haphazardly hanging off them. These hooks boast of the ability also take up installations by

artists throughout the year thus keeping the space as dynamic as possible.

The menu for the cafe engulfs the back of the counter written with chalk on the blackboard painted

wall, the graphics in the cafe are all hand drawn, left as is. We expect them to be wiped, redrawn,

scratched and scrapped, even so just as the main signage for the space is hand painted, so as not

make them look precious , but more thoughtful and personal.

Creative Alliance Cafe / PI.KL Studio and Kroiz Architecture

© Norscode

The Café at the Creative Alliance is the last piece of a 10-year redevelopment of the former Patterson

Theater into an urban arts center and community anchor. Budget constraints and the challenge of

actually fitting a commercial kitchen, bar and dining room into the remaining 1,300 sqf had delayed

the build-out of the space for almost a decade and a successful design relied on formal restraint and

an opportunistic attitude to all possibilities.

Architects: PI.KL Studio & Kroiz Architecture

Location: Baltimore, MD

Project Area: 1,300 sqf

Project Year: 2011

Photographs: Norscode

© Norscode

The spatial organization is based on the dining area formally coinciding with the concrete projection

room suspended above the main level of the original theater (from an era of flammable celluloid film).

The found surfaces, board-cast concrete resting on steel beams of the ceiling and the blackened brick

interior of the building facade, provided rich natural materiality. The logic for new materials pursued a

complementary materiality and a thematic connection to an essential Baltimore palette.

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Norscode

The bar is clad in hot-rolled steel plate reflecting the existing structural steel and blackened brick. Its

white marble top illuminates its patrons and recalls the city’s marble stoops. The end walls, which

conceal the kitchen and form the main entry, are clad in reclaimed floor joist from neighboring row

houses. The new Café accommodates exhibits, performances, and a mural showcasing the talent of

local artists