Mooncraft: A Boutique Bar Inspired by Shanghai's Shiliupu Era

Integrating History and Design at the Cool Docks

Mooncraft is a boutique bar located at the Cool Docks in Shanghai, which was originally a grease factory in the Shiliupu era on the South Bund. Mooncraft integrates all the design elements as one identity, from the branding of the bar to its architectural and interior design which draw inspirations from the Shanghai Bund and Shiliupu history. The bar includes hand-crafted beer bar, whiskey bar, restaurant, and a rarely seen robotic bartender.

Mooncraft occupies three connecting shop units and operates as one single space. The original site has a lack of sense of space and is overloaded with three shopfronts. By making use of additional partitions and raised platform, the existing structure is being absorbed and the site is further broken down into several zones with back of house space hidden. A clear frontage as main entrance and a rear elevation are created, as well as making a logical spatial arrangement possible.

Mooncraft has a 130sqm floor area. Its main elevation is a composition of two 3m high dockside warehouse inspired weathered steel portals that plug onto the façade openings. They come as an inverted U-shape that forms the entrance, and an upstand U-shape with operable window and balcony that connect the inside and outside space. The craft-beer bar has a 1.1m high countertop while the whiskey bar is 0.7m high as it sits on top of a raised platform which also distinguish the two spaces seamlessly.

The client requires several functions to take place in Mooncraft in a relatively mere space. While trying to maintain scenic Cool Docks water feature and the amazing South Bund views the for the customers, there is a need for several back of house spaces. A combination of U-shaped bar counter, partitions, and raised platform play an important role to create a sense of space as well as meeting the requirement from the client on the bar functions.

The project is located in No.505 Zhongshan South Road, Shanghai, PRC. It started in September 2018 and was completed and soft opened in June 2019.

While there are rich layers of historical and contextual references for inspiration, O&O Studio do not want to create a literal themed design but having an exquisite conception. Together with a simple material palette including weathered steel, stainless steel and back painted glass, the circular and mirror elements play an important part throughout, mimicking different moon-themed scenes and reflective sky, with the folding mirrors that is purposely placed that create wonderful reflections.

The main challenge is to create a unique place for the client. O&O established close dialogues with the client to understand the specific requirement, and carried out detail studies on the site analysis, spatial arrangement, materiality, ergonomics, lighting and most important from a users perspective. In addition, it is also a relatively rare case where the designer creates a new brand including its name and logo, as well as integrating this into the entire architectural and interior design.

Adjacent to the Shanghai Bund, Shiliupu Wharf is full of dramatic stories from the past – from wharfs to tycoons, warehouses to longtangs, these should all be celebrated. Sitting in this South Bund area, Mooncraft, designed by O&O Studio, stands for a place that holds moment of dialogue with this once prosperous era. Wondering along the rippling Huangpu River especially through the evening hours, Mooncraft is well placed for one to relax and have a moonlight sip. Mooncraft - a place that is replete with time and stories, for one to sense and embrace with a tipsy and emotional moment.