At the junction of the shopping mall and office on the fourth floor of Shanghai Plaza 66, the mo labo coffee kiosk quietly occupies a small corner, bringing a whiff of coffee aroma to the office people. In terms of design, we use materials as the starting point of the narrative: the mottled texture of artistic handmade tiles, the cool veins of natural stone, and the rustic, eco-friendly touch of coffee grounds panels—together they build the composed, quality feel that specialty coffee deserves, while also creating a visual pull from afar to up close within the depth of view along the mall passageway.
Looking from the mall corridor, the colors of the handmade tiles gradually unfold from beige-grey to deep brown, symbolizing the color evolution of coffee beans from light roast to dark roast. This transforms the subtle interplay of temperature and time in the roasting curve into a quiet abstract art display on the wall. As guests approach, they are greeted by a professional and restrained operational atmosphere. We retained mo labo’s signature stainless steel material, which reflects a lab‑like precision and echoes the brand’s rigorous pursuit of coffee extraction craftsmanship.
Faced with such a small store of less than 20 square meters, the design challenge lies in how to convey the brand narrative within a limited footprint. We started with material selection and proportional scaling, constantly aligning conceptual creativity with real‑world constraints, and carefully deliberating every detail. In the end, the space achieves a sense of relaxation and professionalism that is true to the brand’s identity.
