Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli by Yi Zhou

Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli by Yi Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mahuizolli A' Design Award Iztacteocuitlatl in Callitic Tlacauhtli ihuan Tlanextilizpan Tlachihchihualiztli Competition Category.

IztacteocuitlatlCallitic· 2026

Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli

by Yi Zhou

Client: Dayi Design

Mahuizolli A' Design Award Iztacteocuitlatl Winner in Callitic Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #174342

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli

Cad Coffee ce cafetería ihtic ce huehueh cemento tlachihualoyan calli, inahuac ce altepetl xochitlalpan ompa Jiangsu, China. Omocauh in achto concreto tepoztica chicahuac calnacayotl ihuan itzintlan, ica achi tepoztli oquichicahuilihque. Huehueyi tezcatl tlatzacuilotin, tlen ehua tlalpan ixquichca calcuaitl, quicalaquia tonalmeyotl ihuan quitlapohua in caltin ixpan xochitlalpan. In tequitiloyan omotecpanque iyahualiuhcan ce tlahco cafe tlanamacoyan, ihuan quipia tlamamatlatic yeyantli, cuauhtlanamacoyan, ichcatilmahtica tlapepecholli yeyantli ihuan miec tequitl tlatzacuilotin. In occepa motequitiltia cuahuitl ihuan chamahuac tilmahtli ompa inahuac omocouhque. In calihtic quipia 1000 metros cuadrados.

The Recognition

About the Mahuizolli A' Design Award Iztacteocuitlatl

Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli ca in quicuic in Mahuizolli A' Design Award Iztacteocuitlatl, hueyi tlamahuizoliztli tlen momaca in huel yectli, tlanextic ihuan mahuiztic tlachihualli. In quicuicah Iztacteocuitlatl ca cenca cualli ihuan cenca yancuic tlachihualli in quinextia in tlamatiliztli, toltecayotl ihuan ixtlamatiliztli intlachihuanime. Ca quinequi in Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli ca cenca cualli, cenca motequiuhtia ihuan yancuic. Ni dizayno in quicuic Iztacteocuitlatl quihuelitia in toltecayotl, tlamatiliztli, dizayno ihuan teknolohia. Cad Coffee Cafetería Ihtic Tlachihchiualiztli quiyolchicahua in tlacah, quipaquiltia ihuan quitlamahuiztiltia.

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.