B3 is a bistro set within a shopping mall in Shenzhen, China. With a full day service ranging from brunch to evening drinks (brunch, bistro and bar are an extrapolation of the three Bs in the establishment’s name), the small site needed a clever design solution to allow for a visual identity that would work throughout the phases of the day’s different seatings.

Design firm RooMoo used ‘time’ as a theme to achieve this challenging brief, creating separate areas on the site that delineated between morning, midday and evening service. Employing three wave-like structures, the team managed to split the space into individual eco-systems, creating individual design atmospheres while also providing essential shading for diners.

The first wave is located outdoors. It is a metal partition composed of several stainless steel plates playing with mirror effect and colour. The outdoor wind on the metal pieces provides the illusion that the wave is in movement. The second wave is more prominent than the first wave, overlapping the entire ceiling above the bar area and making the space a focal area for the entire bistro. The third wave is located above the dining area. The time stops below this wave, as this wave gets a flat surface without bricks or metal pieces, contrasting with the surrounding. The volume of this wave offers a niche space below it where customers can relax.

While the wave structures themselves are drawn from the curvature of the surrounding mall, the material palette of stainless steel and bricks creates a differentiation, departing from the sleekness of retail and into the authenticity of hospitality.

Photography: Wen Studio