GEOM design stacks red bricks to build the façade of JPG coffee in china

designboom_chinese studio, GEOM design, has built ‘JPG coffee & LAB burger’ situated in china‘s zhujiang new town. formed using a simple red brick façade, the dense elevation breaks with the architectural language of the surrounding buildings, which are made up of towering glass structures. punctuated by two black aluminium openings, from which passersby can buy a cup of coffee, the project results in a minimal, introspective intervention within the busy urban environment.


the floor plan covers a total floor area of 38 m2. the architect has split the space into two, providing two stations for customers to be served. the ‘take-out-only’ type of cafe has been designed to cater for the fast-paced urban context. upon approaching the windows, the all-black walls in soft light make the barista and hamburger maker’s production process become the focus.


the façade of the building is built from sintered bricks produced by kiln roasting. the color is simple and natural, which forms a strong impact on the street elevation. in addition, the raw brick material is taken from natural clay, argil and shale, meaning that after the service life of the building, it can be crushed and recycled to make brick products again. therefore, the project also promotes ideas of sustainability while creating a new architectural intervention in zhujiang new town.