Tucked away into a forested area on the edge of Taiwan’s Zhubei City, the HOH Cafe is a shipping container coffee shop that offers a quiet respite for the area’s busy residents. The project’s designers at Infeel Architects converted an old shipping container for the main part of the cafe, using rusty iron to echo the original material and wood to help the shop blend into its surrounding environment.
Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
Completed in 2020, the HOH Cafe measures at just 560 square feet. According to the architects, they wanted to lead locals into the shipping container coffee shop through a small, winding path that meanders along sleepers and a big tree. They added soft lighting and subtle, hanging decorative features in order to acclimate locals from the bustling edge of the city into the green space and cafe. Wide, open spaces help sunlight and fresh air filter through the site to add a more natural ambiance.
Related: This dad built a backyard coffee shop with repurposed materials
The scenery is highlighted by a relaxing water feature in the form of a pond, complete with green lily pads, stone and water plants to create a tranquil vibe while people enjoy their drinks or wait in line. Inside the cafe, warm, organic tones with natural wood finishes and pewter or metal coffee-making tools create a treehouse feel that contrasts with the nearby city. At least two sides of the shop open up completely from floor to ceiling, and the backdrop behind the counter can either open to create more cross-breezes or close to remain as a series of large windows. At night, the space illuminates with string lights and embedded ground lights.
A continuous bar counter presents the barista, while a linear free-flow characterizes the cafe with exclusive posture and appearance. These stunning movements and postures, along with the natural winding path, integrate the coffee shop into the organic scenery with every change of season.
Photography by lllooimage via Infeel Architects
