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Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija by Yi Zhou

Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija by Yi Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Premju A' Design Award tal-Fidda in Disinn ta' Spazji Interjuri u Wirjiet Competition Category.


FiddaInterjur· 2026

Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija

by Yi Zhou

Client: Dayi Design

Premju A' Design Award tal-Fidda Winner in Interjur Category

Colors

The Design

About Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija

Cad Coffee huwa intern ta' kafetterija mqiegħed fi ħdan fabbrika tas-siment antika ħdejn park tal-belt f'Jiangsu, iċ-Ċina. Il-qoxra u l-qafas oriġinali tal-konkrit rinfurzat inżammu, b'rinfurzar parzjali tal-azzar. Pannelli kbar tal-ħġieġ mill-art sas-saqaf idaħħlu d-dawl ta' matul il-jum u jiftħu l-kmamar lejn l-art tal-park. Iż-żoni funzjonali huma rranġati madwar bar tal-kafè ċentrali u jinkludu postijiet bilqiegħda fuq livelli differenti, bankijiet tal-injam, tapizzerija tat-tessuti u diviżorji multifunzjonali. L-injam irkuprat u d-drappijiet oħxon inġiebu minn sorsi lokali. L-ispazju jkopri 1000 metru kwadru.

The Recognition

About the Premju A' Design Award tal-Fidda

Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija huwa rebbieħ tal-Premju A' Design Award tal-Fidda, rikonoxximent prestiġjuż straordinarjament mogħti lil disinji tal-ogħla livell, sbieħ u impressjonanti. Ir-rebbieħa tal-Fidda huma xogħlijiet brillanti ħafna u kreattivi ħafna li juru l-għarfien espert, it-talent u l-aċċuratezza tad-disinjaturi tagħhom. Huwa mistenni li Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija ikun xogħol mill-isbaħ, eżemplari, professjonali ħafna u innovattiv bil-fond. Dan id-disinn rebbieħ tal-Fidda huwa invenzjoni notevoli u mammirata li tikkontribwixxi biex jitwessgħu l-fruntieri tal-arti, ix-xjenza, id-disinn u t-teknoloġija. Cad Coffee Disinn ta' Intern ta' Kafetterija huwa ħolqien li ħafna jinvidjawh, li jqajjem ix-xewqat, iġib sentimenti pożittivi u joħloq tgħaġġib u mistagħġib.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
This design revitalizes a former cement factory adjacent to a city park into an open, layered coffee space. Retaining the building's raw structural form and historical traces, the renovation introduces expansive glazing, natural lighting, and modular zoning. Functional areas extend around a central coffee bar, meeting diverse social and individual needs. The result is a fluid, quiet retreat that harmonizes industrial memory with organic textures and urban leisure.
Dimensions & Packaging
The space spans a total of 1000 square meters. Its structural shell uses reinforced concrete, with partial steel frame reinforcement. For fenestration, it features custom French floor-to-ceiling glass panels. Inside, the layout includes tiered seating, integrated wooden counters, textile upholstery, and multi-functional partitions. Natural finishes dominate, paired with curated greenery and art to add spatial layering. Passive ventilation and strategic solar exposure optimize indoor comfort and lighting balance throughout the day.
Tags
Interior Design, Adaptive Reuse, Coffee Space, Industrial Renovation, Nature Integration, Minimal Intervention, Spatial Layering, Daylight Design, Cement Factory Conversion, Emotional Design
Production Technology
The project employed minimal intervention principles, retaining the original concrete shell and frame. Locally sourced materials such as reclaimed wood and coarse fabrics were prioritized to reduce carbon footprint. Large glass panels and French windows were retrofitted to engage the outdoors, while natural light strategies replaced artificial lighting. Restoration over remodeling guided the process, preserving both structural integrity and aged textures.
Design Challenge
The greatest challenge was balancing preservation with intervention honoring the cement factory's raw essence while introducing comfort and adaptability. Regulatory constraints, structural aging, and limited mechanical systems posed technical hurdles. Externally, expectations of renovation equals polish were resisted. The team redefined value as emotional atmosphere over perfection, transforming ruins into a warm, contextual, and shared emotional terrain.
Research
This spatial research explores how adaptive reuse and minimalist renovation can provide emotional refuge within urban settings. Using qualitative site observation, user interviews, and behavior mapping, the study evaluated the impact of spatial openness, daylight, and material tactility on visitor well being. Insights informed design decisions promoting detachment from daily stress. The result: a model of micro-escape architecture balancing emotional need with urban reuse.
Inspiration
Inspired by the emotional fatigue of modern life, the design reinterprets the act of drinking coffee as a pause from relentless urban rhythms. Drawing on the symbolism of ruins, wilderness, and fragmented time, the space merges a disused industrial shell with lush parkland. The aim is not nostalgia, but to plant a quiet unfamiliar moment a detour in life's fast-moving track where visitors reclaim presence through light, nature, and texture.
Project Duration
The project started in February 2024 in Jiangsu, China and finished in June 2024.
Operation Flow
The space invites users into a seamless transition from city park to cafe, with natural light guiding circulation. Centralized around the coffee counter, zones for group gatherings, solo reading, or business interaction unfold intuitively. Elevated seating introduces spatial rhythm, while outdoor garden terraces blur boundaries with the landscape. The space adapts to individual paces whether lingering alone or casually socializing within an open, sensory rich environment.
Patents
Copyrights belong to Cong Lin, 2024.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Cong Lin, Cad Coffee, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer Cong Lin, Cad Coffee, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer Cong Lin, Cad Coffee, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer Cong Lin, Cad Coffee, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer Cong Lin, Cad Coffee, 2024.

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