Retail DesignCha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

Architects: Leckie Studio Architecture + Design
Project: Cha Le Teahouse
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Size: 674 sf
Completion January 2017
Photography: Ema Peter
Branding: Glasfurd & Walker

Cha Le Teahouse provides a modernist interpretation of the traditional Chinese tea ritual. The space is defined by a minimalist character that relies on an interplay of geometry and material uniformity. A meticulously coordinated plywood matrix operates as an ordering system for the casework and retail display – this motif is replicated throughout the space to create a sense of rhythm, depth and shadow. This uniform material backdrop lends visual calm and abstract serenity to the immersive sensual experience of drinking tea.

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 1

The focus on wood is economical, and alludes to the sensitivity to materiality that is significant to traditional Chinese tea ceremonies, and often expressed through humble materials. The sculptural mass and quality of the ‘tea bar’ creates and shapes the space around it, finding inspiration in the Modernist sculptures of Donald Judd, in which materials such as plywood are distilled into their reductionist forms. Cha Le Teahouse makes use of a restrained quantity and minimal tonal qualities in the materials used, expressed through a uniformity in the material palette. Whereas the ordering structure of the space may be described as rigid and orthogonal, the architect intentionally softened perceptual hard edges by choosing a warm, light palette that adds a sense of intimacy to the overall experience of the space.

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 2

The teahouse adopts a warm and subdued sense of lighting throughout the space. Embedded within the grid, the LED light panels hover in a mysterious manner, blurring over the crisp lines of the grid. Natural light is allowed to filter in through the shopfront, connecting the teahouse to the street-level patio.

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 3

Materiality is central to the tea ceremony – beyond the sensual qualities of the tea, the ‘interplay’ between natural elements in the space and objects of the ceremony equally inform the experience. The ceremony of exchange, and the concentration of awareness towards posture and gesture is articulated through simple objects. The senses are heightened by focusing on a single material, revealing the variations and unique qualities that are inherent to items of ritual. The design for Cha Le Teahouse interprets this attentiveness by elevating modest, ubiquitous construction materials to allow for architectural clarity and refinement.

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 5

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 5

Cha Le Teahouse by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design 6

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sequence Apartment, Scenographies of Living for a Bachelor in Madrid

The aim is to enhance this condition, which has now become a desire, with the floor plan of the project being the result of a complete emptying of the Sequence Apartment that organises the domestic space in a unique atmosphere that is compatible with the spatial strategy of the walls of the initial state.

A Boundless and Ideal Life Experience Center at CCD Headquarters

This era embraces integration between design and art, work and life, beauty and practicality. Traditional boundaries and rules are broken, and lifestyle keeps evolving. A Boundless and Ideal Life Experience Center at CCD Headquarters was created under such context.

Sausalito Residence is Like a Sophisticated Library of Vinyl Records and Design Books

The original space, a 70’s era home with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, lacked the unique charm and character desired to match the client’s eclectic tastes. Seeking to infuse a sense of their unique personal style, the homeowners tasked Feldman Architecture with the challenge of transforming the property into a sophisticated library of vinyl records, design books, and vintage Coca-Cola bottles

Sugi House by Condon Scott Architects

The Sugi house and the areas of glazing are orientated to maximise solar gain, with minimal openings on the remaining sides of the house to preserve the thermal envelope.

Two Story Loft with a Fresh New Look Conceived by ZeroEnergy Design

ZeroEnergy Design have designed this two story loft for a young family in Boston, Massachusetts.

Recommended Stories