Reviving Tea Culture: The Zhuyeqing Tea Store

CHU CHIH-KANG + CHANG HO DESIGN's Innovative Approach to Retail Space

With a history spanning over a decade, the Zhuyeqing Tea brand has established a strong presence in the tea market. The design team, CHU CHIH-KANG + CHANG HO DESIGN, was tasked with the challenge of innovating this traditional brand while maintaining its core values and cultural significance. The result is a retail space that is not entirely new but an improved version of the previous store, with the tea-drinking culture of Chengdu people integrated into the design.

The unique feature of this design is the spatial concept of "a house within a house". This layout allows customers to feel as though they are in a courtyard between allies, providing a glimpse of the bricks next door and the outdoor views through the gaps in the grilles. This design choice creates an atmosphere conducive to enjoying a cup of tea and experiencing the daily life of Chengdu locals.

Another key element of the design is the presentation of the special way Chengdu locals make and drink tea. The designers aimed to revive the tea-drinking culture and memories of Chengdu people by using traditional teacups with lids. This approach not only sells tea but also provides a complete experience of drinking tea as locals do, adding historical and cultural significance to the brand.

The use of bamboo grilles in the design is a nod to the brand's Sichuan roots. The designers simplified the original elements of the store and highlighted its characteristics, using bamboo as a material to imply the brand's origin. This design choice also contributes to the overall aesthetic of the store, which is both modern and traditional.

The project, which started in November 2016 and completed in May 2018 in Sichuan, China, was a challenge for the designers. They needed to innovate the old tea brand while creating brand recognition in a commercial market that emphasizes new trends. The solution was to return to the origin, restoring the environment to the earliest way of drinking tea in China and integrating a new marketing model. This approach successfully revived the culture and lifestyle of Chengdu people.

The Zhuyeqing Tea Store design was recognized with the prestigious Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2019. This award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. It is a testament to the design's extraordinary excellence and its significant impact on the world with its desirable characteristics.