In Shenzhen it seems there is no slowing down in the desire for Gaga Café's good coffee, quality food and relaxing interiors. Following the success of COORDINATION ASIA's previous designs for Gaga, the café at Wongtee Plaza in Shenzhen, China adopts a similar sense of style and refinement, but with a bit more punch and geometric boldness.
The cafe not only entices people in from the outside, but it also encourages them to stay and linger for a while. The space has been designed across multiple levels; the walls, floor and ceiling all have unique characteristics and offer an interesting play between lighting and furnishings. A feature is the wooden drop ceiling, which runs across the space from the entrance – at parts it transforms into a metal mesh frame that supports hanging planters and even a sculptural light volume.
‘The goal for Wongtee plaza was to create an environment that satiated both the energetic lifestyle of its patrons and the cafe's delicate, yet delicious food,’ explains COORDINATION ASIA designer Alberto Caiola.
In order to make a connection to the first two Gaga concepts, COORDINATION ASIA selected a common palate of materials. Green is used as a soft, feature color that oozes across different surfaces, such as the plush wall textiles and in the hanging planter boxes above. Black and white opaque tiles are dispersed around the cafe, transitioning from the entrance to the service cabinet where tasty treats stand proudly on display. And just like the first two cafes, the use of natural wood creates a warm and relaxing environment for people to stop and recharge.
Furthermore, flexible seating schemes have been devised to help cope with extremely busy times, with a variety of different options to cater for groups of all sizes - from small two person tables, high benches to large shared tables. Here, soft wall textiles are arranged in an alternating rhythm to break up any sense of modularity and also help soak up unwanted noise, a common problem in cafe design.
The delicious food Gaga makes becomes a highlight in both the open display cabinet and the glowing screen of glass, which partially conceal the kitchen and give guests a glimpse into what’s going on behind the scenes.
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