Atelier A’s 2020 project U Café is an animation-themed restaurant and café, located in the busy Xujiahui area. Since its decorations need to change from time to time for new animations, and taking the budget into consideration, the design is flexible and simple, which is consistent with Atelier A’s philosophy of functionalism and authenticity.
Paint was removed to reveal the original texture of the walls. Even the nail holes are preserved. There is no extra decoration on the walls unless necessary, for example, white paint at the gallery area, and vintage-looking LVL plywood on newly built walls of the kitchen and switch room.
Considering the enormous number of customers, inorganic fibre spray is used for the ceiling to absorb sound and lighten up the space. The light racks are aligned with the vertical lines of the façade structure to avoid visual confusion. These rack grids are convenient for hanging Japanese noren curtains and other decorations, which can be changed for various themes, in whatever way is needed to divide the space.
The Taisho style is found in the mixture of Japanese and European tables and chairs, also in the glass and metal lamps hanging at varied levels. These exquisite soft decorations make an interesting contrast with the industrial style of the almost unadorned walls and floors.
The wholes space is divided into two areas: the front is a gallery and merchandise area, and the rear is the multi-functional dining area. The merchandise area is mainly decorated with LVL plywood. All furnishings are moveable for flexible layout adjustment. The entrance gate is made of two doors of varied sizes: the smaller door for daily use, and the bigger one, which makes a three-metre doorway, for special events. Beside the cashier opposite the entrance is a prop room, whose decoration changes according to various animation themes. Customers can take selfies there while waiting for seats. A large space in front of the cashier is reserved for future temporary exhibitions.
The rear space is also adjustable for different needs. Usually it is for dinning, but the originally elevated area can also become a natural stage for performances. The other half, equipped with projection screen, can be transformed to a movie theatre for animation screenings. The two halves are connected with a flight of stairs, which are also seats for drinks and movie watching. If necessary, they can also be separate with traditional Japanese lanterns hanging from the ceiling.
