AAN Architects · CLIENT: Heytea
Layering Rhythm is a tea shop interior located in Zhengzhou, China. The design draws on the local Shang City ruins and their rammed earth walls. The facade is 31 meters long and recedes to emphasize horizontal depth. Inside, a continuous island of raw granite replaces separate seats and forms an open social space lit by artificial skylights. Light grey metal lacquer, frosted glass and textured stainless steel contrast with the heavy stone. Guests order by mobile phone and wait along the island, so the tea break becomes a shared cultural experience.
Press Kit
- 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'.
- 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.
- 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.
- Image Credits
- Photo credit all belongs to Heytea, 2025.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to AAN Architects, 2025.
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