Luneurs Café
Location: Shanghai, China
Area: 110 sqm
Status: Complete
Completion: Sep 2022
Luneurs is a French dining and bakery brand that places a strong emphasis on “community organization.” At Luneurs, people come first, as we strive to forge deeper connections with our customers, be present in their lives, and provide emotional value beyond just flavors. This focus has led to the creation of various community activities (cycling, running, second-hand markets, charity events…), which align with the original intentions behind the location of our store. Situated in the center of Shanghai, our store is in Tianzifang, an area reflecting the urban development from modern Jiangnan rural communities to mixed Chinese and foreign residential areas and alleyway factory communities.
The narrow space of this store provides a starting point for our spatial design approach. We aim to extend Tianzifang’s narrow alleyway structure and the original neighborhood relationships and attitudes towards life into the interior of our store, linking these elements with the brand’s focus on community organization. Thus, ‘neighborhood’ has become a keyword for our project.
In terms of spatial structure, we have retained three entrances: the main outdoor entrance from the mall, an indoor entrance, and a backdoor entrance connecting to the mall’s plaza area. This spatial arrangement is reminiscent of the interconnected alleyways of Tianzifang, with the main entrance designed as an open semi-outdoor space for the public area. Local residents and customers can freely and casually stop by for a rest, regardless of whether they make a purchase. This area becomes a space where old residents, children returning from school, or workers heading home can pause, creating an accessible, everyday living scene without any barriers.
In terms of materials, we have chosen a brownish-red pine veneer that offers a warm, comforting feel akin to freshly baked croissants. For stone materials, we selected a type of sandstone from China, reminiscent of the texture of Luneurs’ sea salt caramel ice, evoking an appetite-inspiring feel. We’ve embedded this sandstone regularly into the terrazzo and partially into the walls to enhance this material interplay. For furniture, we designed simple stools and locally used bamboo woven chairs typical of old Shanghai neighborhoods, fostering a warm, casual atmosphere of community daily life.
