New F&B Concept - Minimalist Café | Hintegro

Keith Chan

New F&B Concept - Minimalist Café fuses French Bistro Dining Experience

• Interior Design & Project Management

Hintegro is newly appointed by local coffee brand Cupping Room to design its new shop at APM, Kwun Tong. The new shop is divided into two spaces – Cupping Room café at the front, and French bistro Bistro Le Parisien at the back. Hintegro applies minimalism with fine details to realise a bright and calming café experience; while in the Bistro, Hintegro extends the wood colour from the café and picks the leather furniture set in blue to create a strong contrast of cool and warm tones between the two areas.

Hintegro incorporates stainless steel and oak wood in the café design. As a sustainable material that is able to be 100% recycled, stainless steel is also an echo to the history of Kwun Tong district in Hong Kong – a transformation from an industrial area to a vibrant commercial centre. Pairing with oak wood, the natural and humble combination creates a space for customer to relax amid the hustle and bustle.

The full stainless steel coffee bar with a neon light installation is set to be the focal point of the café, serving as a stage for baristas and for customers to enjoy the making-of of the beverage offerings. Customers will also see sharp lines, right angles and geometry, forming a balanced spatial experience.

In collaboration with After Build, a building contractor who is experienced in Japanese restaurant building works, their dedicated workmanship that you will find from the folding edge of the stainless steel to the flawless wood joint, has further uplifted the combination of minimalism and fine details.

Upon the end of the café, there is a hidden sliding door to the secret French bistro. With the leading wood colour and navy blue leather furniture set, Bistro Le Parisien provides a nostalgic French dining experience that is totally contrasted with the café space. The mural on the wall is designed by local illustrator Isaac Spellman, gathering the icons of the coffee industry.

Growing with Hongkong-ers for more than 10 years since the first shop in Stanley, then Central, Sheung Wan and Wanchai, Cupping room has given attempts in different Food & Beverage concepts in the past years. After the rebrand in last year, including the simplified logo and refined brand colours, the new APM shop is the first realisation of the enhanced brand identity.