ANAR FC IN ARANYA
ANAR FC is a grassroots football club from Shanghai, with members from various countries and ethnicities. They come from different professions, with different skin colors and backgrounds, but have gathered together because of football.
Aranya is a diverse community, and the venue for this project is located in Aranya’s Riverain, a community space themed around sports and youth culture. The indoor space extends horizontally, facing the Phase 9 football field and the Dapu River. The outdoor field is part of the landscape and reflects into the indoor space, while the indoor business radiates out to the entire field, creating a more three-dimensional football culture scene.
"Together through football"
The design of the space begins by understanding the essence of football, a global sport known for its diversity and inclusivity. In this nearly 300-square-meter space, functions like barbecue, craft beer, and retail coexist. The design caters to various operational scenes—daytime, evening, and late night—starting from football and ultimately reflecting food culture, sports entertainment, and fashion trends. In this space, people of different genders, ages, and cultural backgrounds can all find joy through football.
"Under the Canopy"
In terms of layout, retail and dining are divided between the east and west sides, with the ratio being about one to two. The dining area enjoys a better position, facing the football field with a longer frontage, while the retail area is closer to the commercial zone. The two areas are visually connected but isolated by smell. To connect the indoor space with the outdoor field, and the dining with retail, we created a large canopy. This canopy, cantilevered towards the field, draws inspiration from modern football stadium structures and components.
The indoor space under the canopy allows for a more comfortable outdoor area beneath it. A fully openable window system connects the beer bar with the outdoor seating area and the football field. Different-sized TV screens throughout the space broadcast football games all day, becoming the visual focal points of each area.
Under this canopy, you’ll find players resting and hydrating after a match, hungry diners enjoying barbecue, fans watching the game while drinking beer, and trendsetters shopping for football fashion. All these scenes coexist harmoniously, brought together by football.
Football is a diverse medium, and in this space, the combination of colors and geometry resembles football jerseys—highly saturated and distinctive. Different areas feature different color schemes and geometric symbols.
▼ Dining Area Ambiance ©Songkai Liu
The combination of materials and adjustable lighting creates different atmospheres—ranging from a robust, refreshing vibe to a warm, lively one—reflecting both the football barbecue bar and the elevated football culture.
Flexible furniture combinations allow for versatile setups, giving the space more operational possibilities.