Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award in Naqshadeynta Qaab-dhismeedka, Dhismaha iyo Qaab-dhismeedyada Competition Category.

NaxaasQaab-dhismeed· 2026

Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya

by Zhijiang Shan and Fan Li

Client: R&J Design

Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award Winner in Qaab-dhismeed Category

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Colors

The Design

About Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya

Liao Liao One Cup waa maqaaxi kafateeri ah oo hal dabaq ka kooban, oo la dhisay meel ku dhow Matxafka Luoyang ee magaalada Luoyang, Shiinaha. Dhismuhu wuxuu adeegsadaa mabaadi'da guryaha dabiiciga ah (passive house) si loo yareeyo baahida qaboojinta farsamada. Saqaf mowjado leh, oo laga dhaxlay dhaqdhaqaaqa Webiga Luo ee qadiimiga ah, ayaa hawada u soo jiida gudaha furan ee qorshaha ballaaran, isla markaana ka dhigan astaanta ugu weyn ee naqshadeynta. Bir Corten cimilo-raacsan iyo bir aan miridhin oo muraayad u dhalaasha ayaa daboolaya qalfoofka birta ah ee muuqda, taas oo meesha ka saareysa baahida loo qabo dhammeystirro dheeri ah. Saqaf dhagax cayriin ah ayaa siiya cufnaanta kulaylka, iyadoo muraayado ka bilaabma dhulka ilaa saqafka ay soo galiyaan iftiinka maalinta.

The Recognition

About the Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award

Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya waa guuleystaha Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award, aqoonsi sharaf sare leh oo la siiyo naqshado aan caadi ahayn oo lagu garto hal-abuur, hal-abuur cusub iyo caqli. Guuleystayaasha Naxaasta waa shaqooyin xirfad buuxda leh iyo hal-abuur yaab leh oo xaqiijiya khibrad weyn, male-awaal iyo kartida naqshadeeyayaashooda. Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya waa walax la filayo inay noqoto mid aad loo tixgeliyo, la ixtiraamo oo la jecel yahay, xirfad cad leh oo hal-abuur cusub leh. Naqshadahan ku guuleystay Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award wuxuu ku darsadaa hab-dhaqanno ugu wanaagsan farshaxanka, sayniska, naqshadaynta iyo tignoolajiyada wuxuuna ku fiican yahay dhawrista tafaasiisha. Liao Liao One Cup Kafateeriya si fiican ayay u buuxisaa baahiyaha, taabataa rabitaannada, soo jiidataa dareenka kicinayaanna xiisaha aqoonta.

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