Bean Buro proposed four structures to represent the cultural narratives that fuel the city of Hong Kong. Each narrative investigates the threshold conditions of east/west, domestic/foreign, drawing inspirations from traditional arts and contemporary construction techniques. Nostalgic experiences are combined with the day to day lifestyles of today’s city dwellers.
1. A temporary pop up bar inspired by old Hong Kong textile mills references the traditional spatial conditions of a Victorian machined environment, with furniture made of milling machines. Visitors can ascend a skeletal staircase to a viewing platform that is built around a series of beer tanks. The milling structures form a canopy roof, with acoustic linings made of fabrics printed with colourful local textile patterns.
2. A mobile workspace made of bamboo is elevated from the ground, accessible by a few steps and a wheelchair friendly ramp. The floating impression heightens the experience inside with reminiscent of a bamboo forest. The external skins are composed of three layers of bamboo screens, creating an interstitial space for an internal walkway that inhabits the perimeter. The workspace can be used as a meeting space that does not feel corporate, but comfortable and tranquil.
3. A temporary bookshop & workshop structure is constructed with prefabricated engineered timber panels assembled in one day. Various equipments, such as chairs and stalls, can be unfolded and laid out outside the structure for temporary events. A special balloon platform allow oversized balloons to be inflated that act as elevated signages to draw attention. The open and dynamic atmosphere is similar to a Dai Pai Dong market stall in Hong Kong.
4. A cafe is designed with a sculptural wall and ceiling that embeds a series of spatial pockets for integrating tables, lighting and acoustic panels. A series of suspended birdcages is a reference to historical Hong Kong Dim Sum restaurants, with market pendant lights that gently light up the underside of the sculptural ceiling. The lighting and acoustic condition is cozy. The structure can be considered as a parasitic structure that inhabits a larger building where users can escape to.
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