Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Burunsi Premiu in Wasichiy Kamay Competition Category.

BurunsiWasichiy· 2026

Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi

by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Client: R&J Design

A' Design Award Burunsi Premiu Winner in Wasichiy 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 Kafiy Wasi

Liao Liao One Cup nisqaqa huk pata kafiy wasi pavillonmi, Luoyang Museo qayllapi ruwasqa, Luoyang llaqtapi, China suyupi. Kay wasiqa passive house nisqa yachaykunata churan makinawan chiriyachiyta pisiyachinanpaq. Qhichwa-qhichwa wasi qatanqa, ñawpa Luo mayumanta yuyaychasqa, wayrata kicharisqa ukhu wasinta apamun, hinaspa aswan hatun arquitectura rikch'ayninmi kapun. Mach'asqa Corten aceru hinaspa lirpu hina llusk'achasqa mana ismuq aceruqa rikuriq aceru tullunta p'achachin, chaywanmi mana yapaq llimp'ichaykuna munakunchu. Chawa rumi wasi hananpiqa q'uñi hark'aqmi kapun, hinaspa pampamanta hananman qhispi rirpukunaqa p'unchaw k'anchayta apaykamun.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Burunsi Premiu

Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi A' Design Award Burunsi Premiu mishak kan, jatun yupaychay, kayta mana shuk shina, mushuk yuyaypi, yuyaypi shinallatak chaskik kaypi riksishka diseñukunaman kun. Burunsi mishak kashkakunaka ruray ushayta charik shinallatak mancharina mushuk rurashkakunami, paykunata rurakkunapak achka yachayta, yuyayta shinallatak ruray ushayta rikuchinku. Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi sinchi yupaychashka, kuyashka shinallatak riksishka shuk ruray kanata munanku, ruray yuyaywan shinallatak mushuk yuyaywan. Kay Burunsi Premiu japishka diseñuka arti, siensia, diseñu shinallatak tekinolojíapi ashtawan alli ruraykunata tantachin shinallatak ima ukumanta rikuypi sumak kan. Liao Liao One Cup Kafiy Wasi mañaykunata alli paktachin, munaykunata llankan, shunkuta kuyachin shinallatak yachayta munayta kallarichin.

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