*프랑스 카페 겸 바- [ MASS DESIGN ] RAC Coffee & Bar

프랑스에 위치한 RAC Bar & Coffee를 처음 디자인할 때, 이 곳 소유주는 프랑스풍의 분위기와 스페셜티한 커피, 프랑스식 패스츄리, 크레페, 유기농 와인 등이 눈에 띄는 것을 목표로 삼아달라고 요청했다. 그렇게 탄생한 이 곳은 카페 겸 바로서 서로 다른 두 개의 가게가 서로 상호작용 및 자연스럽게 연결되었다.

At the intersection of Anfu and Wukang roads in the former French Concession, you’ll find RAC Bar & Coffee. The locale has been long-known for its many Western restaurants and desirably central location - that also means the standards for design in this area are higher. The owners of RAC aimed to stand out with their authentically French vibe, speciality coffee, French pastries, crepes and organic wines.

RAC is both a cafe and bar combined. Originally the cafe was a streetside security post at the entrance to the property. The restaurant and bar section sits at the end of the entrance passageway. That separation presented MASS DESIGN with a challenge: How could design create interaction and connection between these two disparate sections? 

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Architects: MASS DESIGN

Location: 322 Anfu Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China

Lead Architects: Vladimir Dyduch

Client: RAC

Photographs: Feng Shi

Manufacturers: De Dietrich, Bentu

The solution was to treat this outdoor space as a bridge between the two spaces, re-thinking the area as a public area like a park or a courtyard. Operable windows and a marble sill were inserted on the wall facing the courtyard creating an in-between dining table on the facade. Patrons can sit inside the shop, outside in the sun with their coffee or dine across both spaces. The bar was deliberately moved to open a service window facing the courtyard, allowing visitors from the adjacent office building easy access. In doing so, MASS created a space to enjoy in many ways, activating this courtyard and coaxing more visitors to enter RAC. 

RAC Coffee is less than 10 square meters, designed strictly for making coffee and the minimum necessary storage. Instead, MASS has taken advantage of the space’s streetside location, creating a special coffee window where the barista can easily serve people on the sidewalk and also allure passerby to take a closer look and walk into the courtyard. 

from archdaily