Project Overview

In the embrace of the Tiger Head Mountain's foothills, cushioned by gusts of wind so gracious that even summer shuns the embrace of air-conditioning, lies a sanctuary of curated coffee and culture. Once a mere adjunct to a defunct railway line—left behind by the Japanese and transformed into a walking path in 2023—the café has risen as a gem in this picturesque tapestry.

Organisation

Inflow Space Design CO., LTD.

Team

Designer: CHIA YUAN FENG
Designer: HSIEN CHUN LIN

Project Brief

The café's interior is an artful tapestry of light and shadow. Majestic windows dominate the façade, a nod to the paramountcy of natural light. The windowpanes can be opened fully, unifying the interior with the external world—a juxtaposition of openness and enclosure. Above them, strategically located operable panels allow the ebb and flow of air, ensuring a marriage of light and ventilation. The café is a spatial poem written in the language of design. The elongated counter, stretching 220 cm, is an altar for hand-dripped coffee. It slopes inward as if bowing to greet the patrons, an architectural curtsy. Underneath it, a 70 cm freezer, angled obliquely, to forge a pathway. Overhead, a ceiling evoking the roofline of a house, an emblem of familial unity and entrepreneurial endeavor.

Textures converse across the space. Wood—raw yet refined—meets meticulously crafted wrought iron, discreetly enclosing the staircase and second-floor railing. The floor is a work of hexagonal tiles, while the counter sports a rectangular design, recalling the subway tiles favored by the owners. Subtle hints of blue segment the café into thematic zones. It is a cauldron of elements in a harmonic ballet. Native ferns by the doorway mirror leaf-vein motifs that run throughout the space, fulfilling the owners' affinity for nature. The green hues resonate with the ceramics crafted by the lady of the establishment—pieces that not only serve coffee but also serve as vessels for artistic soul.

Project Innovation/Need

The design concept is an alchemy of simplicity and sophistication. As a hub for cycle-riding nature enthusiasts, the café defies the binary of urban and rural, rather it exists as an in-between, a locus of life where paths cross and destinies intertwine. The result is a café not just as a business but as an ecological niche, harmonizing a plethora of human activities from working on a laptop to enjoying handcrafted desserts, all while sipping coffee that has been roasted in-house under controlled conditions.

The space is administered by a couple—he, a maestro of coffee roasting and she, a virtuoso in desserts and ceramics. Together, they breathe life into the space. They have not merely built a café; they have woven a tapestry of artistry and hospitality, an oasis at the intersection of nature and culture. From their meticulous consideration of sunlight to the invisible presence of air purifiers to eliminate the coffee-roasting fumes, every nuance speaks of a curated experience.

Design Challenge

The designer has immense love for the space, warmth and amenity seep through every single corner of it, hence communication with the owners became extraordinarily smooth. However, the overflowing of ideas from both the owners and the designer has proven to become a double-edged sword. Vigorous effort was needed in the planning and organizing of the overall project. Nevertheless, the perfect balance of form, function, and philosophy was achieved eloquently. The result stands as a monograph of good design.

Sustainability

The café lies in a neighborhood surrounded by flourishing greens, next to a picturesque landscape. Abundant natural light and wind is one of the greatest treasure the site has access to. The paned windows on the façade invite the gracious beams of light into the space, reducing the need of lighting during most of the shop's open hours. The gusts of wind bestowed upon the area by mother nature has also eliminated the essentialness of air-conditioning in the summer. State of the art electrostatic precipitator was set up to collect scent and dust emitted from the coffee bean roasting process, creating a community-friendly establishment.