Jun Murata's Cafe Loop: A Fusion of Art, Business, and Culture

Transforming Shanghai's Old Shipyard into a Modern Japanese-Inspired Cafe

Located in a commercial facility originally designed by Kengo Kuma, Cafe Loop was born out of the owner's admiration for a Japanese restaurant previously designed by Murata within the same facility. The owner, a businessman involved in tourism and real estate in Japan, envisioned a space that could serve as a cafe and a seminar venue for business information and advertisements.

The cafe's strategic location near Shanghai's financial district, coupled with the rising demand from residents of newly built high-rise condominiums, presented an opportunity to create a hotspot for experiencing Japanese culture and travel. The design of Cafe Loop caters to this demand, offering a unique experience to its high-sensitivity clientele.

The cafe's design is characterized by a central gallery with a cafe counter on one side, promoting flexibility and movement within the space. The walls are left bare for exhibitions, allowing the art on display to become the focal point. The minimalist palette and lack of tiles on the walls not only create a modest aesthetic but also contribute to cost reduction.

The design process began in the fall of 2018. Having already completed a project in the same building, Murata was familiar with the surroundings and the atmosphere of the stores being completed one after another. The challenge was to design a modest cafe that paid homage to the building's original architectural history and space, without standing out excessively.

The cafe's design is a testament to careful planning and research. It was important to create a Zen atmosphere without imitating Japanese-style architecture. The arrangement of tables and chairs is spacious, providing margins in the plan and cross-sectional plans. The cafe is used for various purposes, including seminars and showrooms, in addition to serving general users.

Jun Murata's Cafe Loop is a remarkable example of innovative design that respects historical architecture while catering to modern needs. It is no surprise that this unique design was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.