Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii by AAN Architects

Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii by AAN Architects is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz in Nhazi Ime Ụlọ na Ngosipụta Competition Category.

BronzIme Ụlọ· 2026

Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii

by AAN Architects

Client: Heytea

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz Winner in Ime Ụlọ Category

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The Design

About Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii

Layering Rhythm bụ nhazi ime ụlọ ahịa tii nke dị na Zhengzhou, China. Nhazi a si na mkpọmkpọ ebe ochie nke Obodo Shang dị n'ógbè ahụ nakwa mgbidi ájá a kụchiri akụchi nweta mmụọ nka ya. Ihu ụlọ ahụ dị ogologo mita 31 ma laghachi azụ iji mesie omimi kwụ ọtọ n'akụkụ ike. N'ime ụlọ, otu agwaetiti na-aga n'ihu nke e ji nkume granite na-edozibeghị edozi mee dochiri anya oche dị iche iche ma mepụta oghere mmekọrịta mmadụ na ibe ya nke ìhè sitere na mpio elu ụlọ arụrụ arụ na-enye ìhè. Ụcha lakwa ígwè na-acha ntụ ntụ dị fechaa, iko frosted na ígwè anaghị agba nchara nwere ahụ́ dị iche na-emegide nkume ahụ dị arọ. Ndị ọbịa na-eji ekwentị mkpanaaka enye iwu ma na-echere n'akụkụ agwaetiti ahụ, nke mere na oge ezumike tii na-aghọ ahụmahụ omenala a na-ekekọrịta ọnụ.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz

Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị pụtara ìhè nke a ma ama maka nzụlite ihe, ọgụgụ isi na nghọta. Ndị meriri na Bronz bụ ihe e mere nke ndị nwere nka nke ukwuu ma dị mma n'imepụta nke na-egosi ahụmahụ buru ibu, echiche na ọgụgụ isi nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii ga-abụ ihe a na-asọpụrụ nke ukwuu, a na-eto na a hụrụ n'anya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz na-agụnye ụzọ kacha mma n'ime nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ, ma dị mma nke ukwuu maka nlebara anya ya n'obere ihe. Layering Rhythm Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Ahịa Tii na-emezu mkpa nke ọma, na-emetụ ọchịchọ aka, na-adọrọ mmetụta obi ma na-adọta ọchịchọ ịmara.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Inspired by Zhengzhou's Shang City ruins, "Layering Rhythm" reimagines retail as a cultural social hub. Its 31m facade recedes, emphasizing horizontal depth and drawing eyes inward. Inside, a massive handmade brick island replaces traditional independent seating, forming a boundless social space layered by artificial skylights. Contrasting metal with stone, and heavy niches with clear glass, this tea shop environment elegantly honors cultural heritage to form a new spacial experience.
Dimensions & Packaging: The floor plan of this store is an irregular shape, featuring a long, cornered arc-shaped facade and an internal zigzag-shaped irregular boundary. The facade interface is 31 meters long, the maximum depth of the store is 6 meters, and the height of the facade is 3.7 meters.
Tags: Layering Rhythm, Social Hub, Zhengzhou, Ancient Rammed-earth City Walls, Heavy Raw Granite, Sculptural Island, Zen Aesthetics, Material Juxtaposition, Tea Shop
Production Technology: To merge contemporary design with heritage, the palette contrasts heavy raw granite with sleek light-grey metal lacquer and textured stainless steel. Translucent frosted glass and beige Rofei rock paint add layers, while a diamond sand floor grounds the space. The island's quarry-sourced raw stone serves as a focal point, its natural uneven surface juxtaposed against smooth slabs and polished steel plates, highlighting the brand's authentic craftsmanship and sophisticated processing.
Design Challenge: Challenges were twofold. Conceptually, we iterated designs to translate Shang City culture into modern language, balancing historical weight with 'Tea & Zen' lightness. Executing 'authenticity' was tough. We personally quarried massive granite for the island, refining it on-site. For seating, we rejected standard grooved slabs, insisting on hand-chiseled stone slices. After numerous mock-ups, craftsmen installed each piece individually to achieve the natural 'Layering Rhythm'.
Research: To honor Central Plains heritage, we studied architectural typologies like eaves and city walls. This led to concepts including "Eaves Shadow" and "Urban Rift." Through rigorous modeling, material testing, and client dialogue, we finalized the "Layering Rhythm" design. By layering historical textures with modern materials, we achieved a perfect balance between past and present, abstraction and reality, aligning the brand with the site's unique spirit.
Inspiration: Deeply inspired by Zhengzhou's 3,600-year-old Shang City ruins, the design translates ancient rammed-earth textures into the modern "Layering Rhythm" concept. Continuous island seating evoking city walls juxtaposes light metal fixtures referencing local bronze artifacts. Contrasting heavy stone with delicate forms, this spatial dialogue bridges past and present, embodying tea culture's unique value as a social medium.
Project Duration: The design period is from December 2024 to March 2025, the construction period is from April to May 2025, and the store is scheduled to open in June 2025. This tea shop located in Xintian 360 Plaza in Zhengzhou, China.
Operation Flow: Entering the tea shop, customers find their preferred spot along the continuous island seating to order via mobile and await their drinks. This boundless arrangement encourages open, borderless socializing. As guests enjoy their tea, they can touch the contrasting materials, awakening memories of Central Plains heritage. This transforms a routine tea break into an immersive cultural and social journey.
Patents: Copyrights belong to AAN Architects, 2025.
Team Members: Yinghua Wen
Junjie Yan
Yuxing Yi
Hongzhi Wang
Suya Huang
Jingtao Li
Image Credits: Photo credit all belongs to Heytea, 2025.