City: Beijing, China
Stage Involved: Concept to construction
Year/ Status: 2024, completed
Accent Material: Bronze Patina Texture Paint
Client: Melt Season
Photo Credits: Melt Season

Acknowledging the layers of history embedded in the Long Fu Temple Site, the design intends to uncover the charm of the site’s past and enigmas through the ceiling feature, paying tribute to the caisson dome, a prominent feature of architectural renowned in the China’s imperial heritage. The form of the store’s design strongly echoes this architectural legacy, reintroducing how people once viewed old Beijing. The design aims to capture the way the ancients looked up at the inverted pagoda-like ceiling, inviting people to envision the city as it once was and creating a subtle connection to its rich history.
The wall’s bronzed patina technique serves as a link to the material palette seen in the ancient antique wood technique found in empirical architectural heritage of Beijing. While the design does not employ real patinated copper, it borrows from and reinterprets the hand-painting culture to create the bronzed patina palette.
With its immersive scale, the ceiling feature in the store creates a sense of wonder for visitors as they enter, arousing their instinct to glance upward into the ceiling lightwell—much like viewing the ancient temple of Long Fu. The experience of visiting the Melt Season Beijing Long Fu Store evokes fragments of cultural memory alongside Melt Season’s aromas, leading to a discovery of sensations that blend modern and timeless elegance.