Anchor | Blue Bottle Coffee Shanghai Pudong International Airport T2 Cafe

The Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the largest airport in mainland China, and one of China's three major gateway complexes, serving 75 million passengers a year at one point. For Blue Bottle Coffee, a specialty coffee brand founded by James Freeman in California, whom Neri&Hu has collaborated with on two other outlets in Shanghai, it was natural to bring their presence to the airport where they can service an even wider clientele. Situated within Pudong Airport’s Terminal 2, this coffee station, covering about 60 square meters, is a destination in itself for travelers.

Within the chaotic environment of an airport terminal, with busy passengers rushing to catch their flights, the Blue Bottle Cafe acts as a stable anchor moored in the ceaseless stream of travelers. In response to the complex spatial environment of the airport—its soaring heights, multi-levels, and curving structures—Neri&Hu chose to employ a minimalist white architectural object. The volume is divided into upper and lower sections. The lower part is constructed with customized handmade curved bricks, with the front bar area designed as a gathering hub. The upper part, finished with textured paint, is cut and sculpted, incorporating the highly recognizable Blue Bottle logo to draw people in. Travelers ascending on the nearby escalator can peek into an opening within the upper part, effectively connecting the upper and lower spaces, fostering unexpected visual and physical encounters between people during their travels.