Interviews with O&O Studio

In year 2020, the unprecedented epidemic and various natural crisis such as the Australian bushfire had brought a lot of new insights for many of us. Atelier Intimo’s first ever Flagship is located on one of the busiest retail streets in Shanghai - Huai Hai Road. The Flagship is designed by O&O Studio with the understanding that the Flagship is not simply a typical retail store but represents the future of Atelier Intimo. Thus O&O must take the bold step, lead and create a new and extraordinary retail space.

Taking inspiration from the epidemic, both O&O designed Flagship and Atelier Intimo’s new product range are built upon the concept of “Rebirth of the Scorched Earth”, with the view of integrating the nature’s healing power to influence and give new hope to human beings.

With the Flagship store located on the prosperous Huai Hai Road, O&O Studio wanted to craft a dramatic space that brought in and allowed visitors to spend a moment to look up and around, and to imagine and fantasize in such time and space. What can you dream of? Is there anything that we have forgotten about?

O&O Studio understands from the right beginning that it is no typical retail store that Atelier Intimo is looking for. Atelier Intimo has already gained a good level of popularity in the past few years, and they have a specific design philosophy and retail strategy. O&O Studio sees this as a fascinating challenge and opportunity to design Atelier Intimo’s first ever flagship, hoping to serve as their new “springboard” to achieve further success, displaying the new “Morphology of Atelier Intimo”.

Since the opening of the flagship, it has proved how well that the dramatic and theatrical space has integrated and harmonized with the Client’s brand and products. For Atelier Intimo, the flagship is a point where they face directly to their valuable customers, a space for their new products launch, a studio for modelling and photography, a base for live streaming etc. All these are well beyond what the Client could imagine beforehand.

The success of the flagship also sealed the strong belief of O&O Studio’s design philosophy. While the design brings in a new and distinctive portrait for the Client, O&O Studio also brings in additional design and commercial value to the Client’s business.

Some of the characteristics of the products by Atelier Intimo are the lightness of the silk materials and its comfort level and how those relate to the natural beauty of the female bodies. Mannequin is the most common medium to display such textile products. O&O STUDIO took the challenge to integrate mannequins and the design concept of “Rebirth of the Scorched Earth”, and developed a series of art installations to fully present the performing stage for the brand.

The series has 6 individual installations, blending various mode of mannequins to achieve different conceptions. The key installation is the centre placed on ground floor along the axis. She is the leader of the stage. Her hands are slightly opened towards her back, with her upper half body and head reaching out towards the infinity end. Wearing a set of revolving wings, appear to be dancing at the centre stage fused with interior architectural elements

Scattering around are several installations inspired by flower blossom infused with interior architectural elements. Making use of different mannequin parts at the opening flower buds, they carry the nature energy and beauties. These installations are designed with a slightly peculiar and unexpected manner such that they will provide the freedom for one’s imagination and self interpretation on what these quirky archetype are portraying.

Mooncraft is a boutique bar located at the Cool Docks in Shanghai, which was originally a grease factory in the Shiliupu era on the South Bund. Mooncraft integrates all the design elements by O&O STUDIO as one identity, from the branding of the bar to its architectural and interior design which draw inspirations from the Shanghai Bund and Shiliupu history. The bar includes hand-crafted beer bar, whiskey bar, restaurant, and a rarely seen robotic bartender.

Mooncraft occupies three connecting shop units and operates as one single space. The original site has a lack of sense of space and is overloaded with three shopfronts. By making use of additional partitions and raised platform, the existing structure is being absorbed and the site is further broken down into several zones with back of house space hidden. A clear frontage as main entrance and a rear elevation are created, as well as making a logical spatial arrangement possible.

Our Client requires several functions to take place in Mooncraft in a relatively mere space. While trying to maintain scenic Cool Docks water feature and the amazing South Bund views the for the customers, there is a need for several back of house spaces. A combination of U-shaped bar counter, partitions, and raised platform play an important role to create a sense of space as well as meeting the requirement from our Client on the bar functions.

Mooncraft has a 130sqm floor area. Its main elevation is a composition of two 3m high dockside warehouse inspired weathered steel portals that plug onto the façade openings. They come as an inverted U-shape that forms the entrance, and an upstand U-shape with operable window and balcony that connect the inside and outside space. The craft-beer bar has a 1.1m high countertop while the whiskey bar is 0.7m high as it sits on top of a raised platform which also distinguish the two spaces seamlessly.

Mooncraft stands for a place that holds moment of dialogue at the once prosperous Shiliupu era. It is a place that is filled with time and stories, for one to sense and embraced with a tipsy and emotional moment. Mooncraft is a place that is filled with time and stories, for one to sense and embraced with a tipsy and emotional moment.

Adjacent to the Shanghai Bund, the Shiliupu Wharf is simply full of dramatic stories from the past – from the wharfs to the tycoons, warehouses to longtangs, these should all be somehow celebrated. Wondering along the rippling Huangpu River especially through the evening hours, Mooncraft is well placed for one to relax and have a moonlight sip.

While there are rich layers of historical and contextual references for inspiration, O&O Studio do not want to create a literal themed design but having an exquisite conception. Together with a simple material palette including weathered steel, stainless steel and back painted glass, the circular and mirror elements play an important part throughout, mimicking different moon-themed scenes and reflective sky, with the folding mirrors that is purposely placed that create wonderful reflections.

We have always been in touch with our Client. Once we update him about the good news, he is very pleased and excited with the award. We certainly hope that this would help from a business perspective, given the current economy situation. From a long term perspective, we also wish to have the opportunity to design another and an even better bar and restaurant for our Client.

The project was commissioned by a private client who is very interested with our design approach as well as being a new start-up which he would like to explore something different for his first boutique bar.

The branding of MOONCRAFT integrates all the design elements as one identity. From the bar’s name to its logo, as well as the architectural and interior design, they share the same concept throughout, all by O&O STUDIO.

Imagine the full moon hanging above the Huangpu River, together with the river’s geometry that forms a glass that hold some of the richest history of the city with the yellow lunar gradually dipping into the glass, form the logo of Mooncraft. The name “Mooncraft“ stands for a place that holds moment of dialogue, enjoying the best craft beet in town under the moon and starry sky adjacent to the Souths Bund.

Although it sounds simple, it is a challenge to inspire and convince our Client about O&O’s design approach.

O&O STUDIO do no design something literal. In Mooncraft we have taken references from the contextual and historical background thus resulting an artistic conception project. A lot of mirrors and reflecting elements are applied to achieve unexpected moments that also response to the dockside and moon inspired design concept.

Mooncraft is O&O STUDIO’s first completed project and this means a lot to us. We want to expose ourselves further to countries other than in the Asia region thus participated in the A’ Design Award 2019. We are very excited and feel humbled that Mooncraft is awarded Bronze in the Interior Design category. We hope to share more in the near future about what we have been working on and completing soon.

Suzanne Li:

Suzanne studied at The University of Nottingham in the UK with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Architecture. She joined Arup London after graduating in 2006, where she was one of the Lead Architects for BSkyB Headquarter in London, winner of the RIBA London Sustainability Award. She was also involved in several other award winning projects including Plantation Place, Battersea Power Station Regeneration, and King Abdullah Sport City in Saudi Arabia.

After relocated to Shanghai in year 2011, Suzanne was co-leading the Shanghai Arup Associates’ multidisciplinary design team for the past 5 years. She delivered several key projects including the winning scheme of Shanghai Loop footbridge, the Chengdu New Airport short-listed scheme and the New Film Soundstage in Taiwan. She also led the Arup Associates’ Team on the RIBA Shanghai Window Projects for two years in a row.

Suzanne is an ARB registered architect and has over 10 years international experience delivering world-class and award winning projects in the UK, China, South East Asia and the Middle East. She has diverse range of project experience across a variety of sectors at different scale with particular skill on technically driven typologies including Science & Industry, Media Broadcasting and Aviation.

Suzanne moved back to Hong Kong in 2017, co-founded O&O STUDIO with Eric Chan in 2018.

Eric Chan:

Eric studied at The University of Nottingham with a MEng Master degree and graduated with Diploma in Architecture at The University of Westminster with Distinction. In 2007, he joined and spent over 4 years at the highly acclaimed London practice, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) where he qualified as an Architects Registration Board (ARB) registered architect. He was involved on several award-winning education, conservation and residential projects in the UK and South Africa. He had also contributed vastly to public architectural events and public consultation programmes.

Moving from London to Shanghai in 2011, he joined the world renowned Safdie Architects, the practice led by the 2015 AIA Gold Medal recipient, Moshe Safdie. Eric was one of the Safdie’s Team Leaders in the 24billion RMB Capitaland mixed-used development, Raffles City Chongqing (RCCQ) project, leading and managing the Conservatory façade and interior design, as well as Podium Roof and Skylights design.

With over 10 years international experience and as a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Chartered Member, Eric also holds a CIBSE membership and has developed a strong interest on integrating sustainability into project delivery. He was part of the AHMM Environmental Group which was awarded the AJ100 Most Sustainable Practice Award. He also has strong passion analysing client’s brief and vision and collaborate with other creative professions. Eric is also very keen on exploring architectural space through photography. His award-winning work has recently been exhibited and published in London, Copenhagen, and the USA.

After spending 5 years with Safdie Architects, Eric moved back to Hong Kong in 2018 and co-founded O&O STUDIO with Suzanne Li.

We love the time and fun when collaborating with others, inspiring each others to create new ideas. But the most interersting moment would be working with kids. They always suprise us with the most pure, fantastic and exciting thinking. That's why O&O STUDIO ultimately want to focus on community and kids related placemaking projects in the near future.

Suzanne and Eric have been designing award winning buildings for more than 10 years. In 2018 we set up O&O STUDIO based in our vibrant home city Hong Kong, providing consultancy services in architecture, interior design, pop-up installation and masterplanning. While the design-led studio encompasses a diverse range of international experience in the building industry, having delivered projects across different scales and sectors and for a variety of stakeholders and clients, we ultimately want to put our focus on community and kids related placemaking projects in the near future. We want our spatial creation to not only perform by itself but as importantly as with the context and the end users, particularly for our next generation.

We would say, a good designer is about time and effort. For a great designer such as the true design legends that we have worked with in the past before we set up our studio, is about talent and wisdom. You learn so much from them, on the way they write, on the way they think, on the way they draw, and on the way they present.

We would see what kind of “values” the design will bring. The added “values” to a new design is crucial making it successful or not, in which This “values” cover many broad aspects within, such as aesthetic, practicality, sustainability, client’s business and end users experience. It means nothing to a client of end user if a design looks cool but being impractical.

We would certainly love to design for kids. Not only our own kids, but for kids from around the work who needs better care and in special need.

Our first completed project, Mooncraft bar in Shanghai, is a very good example showing our design approach. We took a bold step by providing the Client a “total” design strategy by first initialising an appealing branding idea and integrating with the architectural and interior design as a single identity. It is uncommon for an architectural/interior design studio to provide such “total” design services. However it is our strong belief that this will help creating an even better and convincing design, targeting to be a unique bar that stands out and sustain among the other competitors by attract new and returning customers, as well as tourists.

We worked with several legends from around the work in the past years before we set up our studio. In the UK we worked with AHMM (Simon Allford, Jonathan Hall, Paul Monaghan and Peter Morris) and the team. It is a really fruitful few years there as the practice is so well set up with a strong foundation. The way they approach design, business, finanace and PR etc are all the aspects that we can learn from.

During our time in Shanghai we worked directly with Michael Kwok (Chair of Arup East Asia) and Moshe Safdie and Chris Mulvey of Safdie Architects. It is the personal charisma, wisdom, talent, they way they design and present to the clients, that we can again learn so much from all these aspects.

“Originate – As We Envision, Originate – As We Create”

In O&O STUDIO , we do not provide standardised formula. We believe that each project has its own origin. The design proposal should be originated from a critical and cohesive process of strategic and visual thinking through to the end users’ evaluation, thus informing the next even more successful project.

“Out and Outer” is the work ethos of O&O STUDIO . We are fully committed to our clients with thoroughgoing attitude towards every commission, from its beginning to completion and occupation. We distill client’s brief and create unique and articulated resolutions for each specific circumstance. We establish close relationship with the clients, the wider stakeholder, and the project team to realise a successful project. With our achievements in photographic productions, we are also aspired to symphonise photographic essence to inspire the crafting of spaces and identities. We originate our design that performs through its composition, materiality, and spatial layering.

Professionalism. Being an architect is not only to be a designer but it is also a profession. We should always remind ourselves to be a professional architect. This is crucial whether you set up a studio on your own or work for a company.

Having completed our first project, Mooncraft, we are close on completing several other projects in China and Hong Kong, including a lingerie flagship store at a very prominent location in Shanghai, as well as a coffee roasting workshop in Hong Kong. We are eager to share more in the very near future.

Taking public transport with my camera, seeing how people around us live on our earth. There is always something inspiring happening immediately around us.

We would love to share every bits and pieces, the problems and joy and we have faced in every one of our project.

We have not thought about being famous. As architects, this is our profession and we are putting a lot of effort at the moment to build up a good foundation for O&O STUDIO as we want to let our current and future clients know getting to know more about our philosophy.

Suzanne Li:

Suzanne studied at The University of Nottingham in the UK with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Architecture. She joined Arup London after graduating in 2006, where she was one of the Lead Architects for BSkyB Headquarter in London, winner of the RIBA London Sustainability Award. She was also involved in several other award winning projects including Plantation Place, Battersea Power Station Regeneration, and King Abdullah Sport City in Saudi Arabia.

After relocated to Shanghai in year 2011, Suzanne was co-leading the Shanghai Arup Associates’ multidisciplinary design team for the past 5 years. She delivered several key projects including the winning scheme of Shanghai Loop footbridge, the Chengdu New Airport short-listed scheme and the New Film Soundstage in Taiwan. She also led the Arup Associates’ Team on the RIBA Shanghai Window Projects for two years in a row.

Suzanne is an ARB registered architect and has over 10 years international experience delivering world-class and award winning projects in the UK, China, South East Asia and the Middle East. She has diverse range of project experience across a variety of sectors at different scale with particular skill on technically driven typologies including Science & Industry, Media Broadcasting and Aviation.

Suzanne moved back to Hong Kong in 2017, co-founded O&O STUDIO with Eric Chan in 2018.

Eric Chan:

Eric studied at The University of Nottingham with a MEng Master degree and graduated with Diploma in Architecture at The University of Westminster with Distinction. In 2007, he joined and spent over 4 years at the highly acclaimed London practice, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) where he qualified as an Architects Registration Board (ARB) registered architect. He was involved on several award-winning education, conservation and residential projects in the UK and South Africa. He had also contributed vastly to public architectural events and public consultation programmes.

Moving from London to Shanghai in 2011, he joined the world renowned Safdie Architects, the practice led by the 2015 AIA Gold Medal recipient, Moshe Safdie. Eric was one of the Safdie’s Team Leaders in the 24billion RMB Capitaland mixed-used development, Raffles City Chongqing (RCCQ) project, leading and managing the Conservatory façade and interior design, as well as Podium Roof and Skylights design.

With over 10 years international experience and as a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Chartered Member, Eric also holds a CIBSE membership and has developed a strong interest on integrating sustainability into project delivery. He was part of the AHMM Environmental Group which was awarded the AJ100 Most Sustainable Practice Award. He also has strong passion analysing client’s brief and vision and collaborate with other creative professions. Eric is also very keen on exploring architectural space through photography. His award-winning work has recently been exhibited and published in London, Copenhagen, and the USA.

After spending 5 years with Safdie Architects, Eric moved back to Hong Kong in 2018 and co-founded O&O STUDIO with Suzanne Li.

Suzanne and Eric have been designing award winning buildings for more than 10 years. In 2018 we set up O&O STUDIO based in our vibrant home city Hong Kong, providing consultancy services in architecture, interior design, pop-up installation and masterplanning. While the design-led studio encompasses a diverse range of international experience in the building industry, having delivered projects across different scales and sectors and for a variety of stakeholders and clients, we ultimately want to put our focus on community and kids related placemaking projects in the near future. We want our spatial creation to not only perform by itself but as importantly as with the context and the end users, particularly for our next generation.

“Originate – As We Envision, Originate – As We Create”

In O&O STUDIO , we do not provide standardised formula. We believe that each project has its own origin. The design proposal should be originated from a critical and cohesive process of strategic and visual thinking through to the end users’ evaluation, thus informing the next even more successful project.

“Out and Outer” is the work ethos of O&O STUDIO . We are fully committed to our clients with thoroughgoing attitude towards every commission, from its beginning to completion and occupation. We distill client’s brief and create unique and articulated resolutions for each specific circumstance. We establish close relationship with the clients, the wider stakeholder, and the project team to realise a successful project. With our achievements in photographic productions, we are also aspired to symphonise photographic essence to inspire the crafting of spaces and identities. We originate our design that performs through its composition, materiality, and spatial layering.

We always feel the strength when collaborating with others, inspiring each others to create new ideas. But the most interersting moment would be working with kids. They always suprise us with the most pure, fantastic and exciting thinking. That's why O&O STUDIO ultimately want to focus on community and kids related placemaking projects in the near future.

The added “values” to a new design is crucial making it successful or not, in which This “values” cover many broad aspects within, such as aesthetic, practicality, sustainability, client’s business and end users experience.

We would see what kind of “values” the design will bring. The added “values” to a new design is crucial making it successful or not, in which This “values” cover many broad aspects within, such as aesthetic, practicality, sustainability, client’s business and end users experience. It means nothing to a client of end user if a design looks cool but being impractical.

Taking public transport with my camera, seeing how people around us live on our earth. There is always something inspiring happening immediately around us.

Our first completed project, Mooncraft bar in Shanghai, is a very good example showing our design approach. We took a bold step by providing the Client a “total” design strategy by first initialising an appealing branding idea and integrating with the architectural and interior design as a single identity. It is uncommon for an architectural/interior design studio to provide such “total” design services. However it is our strong belief that this will help creating an even better and convincing design, targeting to be a unique bar that stands out and sustain among the other competitors by attract new and returning customers, as well as tourists.

Professionalism. Being an architect is not only to be a designer but it is also a profession. We should always remind ourselves to be a professional architect. This is crucial whether you set up a studio on your own or work for a company.

We have so far the likes of international insurance company, up-and-coming lingerie brand, and several private clients.

Having completed our first project, Mooncraft, we are close on completing several other projects in China and Hong Kong, including a lingerie flagship store at a very prominent location in Shanghai, as well as a coffee roasting workshop in Hong Kong. We are eager to share more in the very near future.