Liao Liao One Cup Kafe by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Liao Liao One Cup Kafe by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Varahina in Famolavolana Maritrano, Trano ary Rafitra Competition Category.

VarahinaMaritrano· 2026

Liao Liao One Cup Kafe

by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Client: R&J Design

A' Design Award Varahina Winner in Maritrano Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180902

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Liao Liao One Cup Kafe

Ny Liao Liao One Cup dia trano fisotroana kafe misy rihana tokana naorina eo akaikin'ny Tranombakoka Luoyang ao Luoyang, Shina. Ny trano dia mampihatra ny foto-kevitry ny trano pasifika (passive house) mba hampihenana ny filana fampangatsiahana mekanika. Ny tafo miolakolaka, nahazo aingam-panahy avy amin'ny Reniranon'i Luo fahiny, dia misintona rivotra mamakivaky ny atitrano misokatra ary mamorona ny endrika ara-arsitektiora fototra. Vy Corten simban'ny toetrandro sy vy tsy manintsina voadio toy ny fitaratra no mandrakotra ny rafitra vy miharihary, ka manafoana ny filana fanamiana fanampiny. Ny valindrihana vato tsy voavoatra dia manome vesatra ara-mafana (thermal mass), ary ny fitaratra manomboka amin'ny gorodona ka hatramin'ny valindrihana dia mampiditra hazavan'ny andro.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Varahina

Nandresy ny A' Design Award Varahina ny famolavolana Liao Liao One Cup Kafe, fankasitrahana malaza be omena ny famolavolana miavaka izay mampiavaka ny fahaiza-mamorona, ny fahazotoana ary ny fahamaotinan-tsaina. Ny mpandresy Varahina dia zavatra vita tanana mahay dia mahay ary mamorona mivantana izay manamafy ny traikefa be dia be, ny sarintsaina ary ny fahaizan-kafoy an'ny mpamolavola azy. Andrasana ho zavatra ankasitrahana be, ankafizina ary tiana, mahay amin'ny asa sady vaovao ny famolavolana Liao Liao One Cup Kafe. Ity famolavolana nandresy ny A' Design Award Varahina ity dia mitahiry ny fomba fanao tsara indrindra amin'ny zavakanto, ny siansa, ny famolavolana ary ny teknolojia, ary tsara indrindra amin'ny fitandremana ny antsipirihany. Ny famolavolana Liao Liao One Cup Kafe dia mahafa-po ny filana tsara, mikasika ny faniriana, mahasarika ny fihetseham-po ary misarika ny fahalianana.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This cafe pioneers passive house application in commercial hospitality, using the undulating roofline as both environmental system and cultural landmark. Natural ventilation replaces mechanical cooling while Corten steel and mirror-polished stainless steel create a bold material vocabulary. Adjacent to a major museum, the design establishes a new architectural identity for sustainable public gathering spaces in heritage contexts, proving innovation and cultural resonance can coexist.
Dimensions & Packaging: Single-story cafe pavilion featuring passive ventilation roofline, weathered Corten steel and mirror-polished stainless steel cladding, exposed steel structural framework, raw stone thermal mass ceiling, and floor-to-ceiling low-E glazing. Climate-responsive roof geometry optimized for natural airflow and daylight penetration. Minimal mechanical cooling systems required.
Tags: Cafe, passive house, sustainability, cultural landmark, Corten steel, innovation, Luoyang Museum, Luo River, natural ventilation, heritage, green architecture, climate responsive
Production Technology: The undulating roofline integrates passive house engineering with sculptural fabrication. Corten steel panels and mirror-polished stainless steel were precision-formed to optimize natural airflow patterns derived from computational climate analysis. Exposed structural frameworks eliminate the need for secondary finishes, reducing material waste. Raw stone ceiling textures provide thermal mass for passive temperature regulation. The entire construction strategy prioritizes long-term environmental performance alongside minimal site intervention.
Design Challenge: The core challenge was threefold: achieving passive house performance through architectural form alone, creating a recognizable cultural landmark adjacent to a major heritage institution, and proving these goals are complementary rather than contradictory. The resolution embedded environmental function within the sculptural roofline, allowing a single design element to serve as climate system, cultural symbol, and brand identity simultaneously.
Research: This project advances passive house application beyond residential typology into public commercial architecture. The roofline functions simultaneously as cultural landmark and environmental system, demonstrating that climate-responsive innovation can generate architectural identity rather than constrain it. Situated in a heritage district, the design proposes a replicable model for sustainable cultural landmarks that honor context through contrast rather than imitation.
Inspiration: Situated beside the Luoyang Museum, this project was inspired by the challenge of creating a new cultural landmark that advances sustainable building practice. The sculptural roofline channels the ancient Luo River, embedding climate-responsive innovation within cultural symbolism. The vision was to prove that passive house principles can define the next generation of public architecture in heritage districts, where environmental innovation and cultural identity reinforce each other.
Project Duration: Completed adjacent to Luoyang Museum, Luoyang, Henan Province, China in 2025
Operation Flow: The passive ventilation system shapes the visitor experience from arrival. The roofline draws air naturally through the open-plan interior, creating thermal comfort without mechanical noise. Floor-to-ceiling glazing connects visitors to the museum landscape while maximizing daylight, reducing energy consumption. Material transitions from raw Corten to polished steel guide movement through zones of varying intimacy, each defined by sustainable material honesty rather than decorative excess.
Team Members: Designers: Zhijiang Shan, Fan Li
Image Credits: Photo: Wei Zhao
Video: Zimo Shan