Minimalist Naturalism, Create a Four Season Flower House in a Small Town | SWS Group

Interior Design Alliance

Vanke Qingdao Town – Flower Society in the Clouds

Located in the small town of Qingdao on the west coast of Qingdao, Qingdao Yunzhongsha Café is bathed in a humid ocean climate with four distinct seasons, close to Zhushan National Forest Park, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea on the south. The west coast of Qingdao is located on the west side of Jiaozhou Bay, which is gradually becoming the center of Qingdao’s new economic development and a vacation paradise for the world. The construction of the Flower Society in the Clouds hopes to add a young and active new landmark to the West Coast by combining a creative flower house with a café leisure venue in the form of a new landmark.

Figure 1&2 Photo Credit: Shiran Architectural Photography

The Flower in the Clouds Café and the sales office of Qingdao Town, which has been renovated at the same time by SWS Group, are just a stone’s throw away from each other and will become an important line of communication in Qingdao Town on the west coast. At night, when it is lit up, the night scene in the mountain forest will also be more vibrant.

▲ Floor plan of the Flower Café in the clouds

From Architecture to Interior

Light as gauze, white and flowing moods

The style of the interior space is controlled in a clean and light atmosphere, creating a light, white and elegant mood. In order to keep the roof in its original thin state, the traditional air conditioning equipment is replaced by a floor ventilation system. Continuing the visual symbol of the arc, the interior of the building echoes the shape of the building, extending from the central visual point of the bar to the surrounding area. In the main viewpoint, a floral part is set up to create a clear dynamic line for the space, and around it are 360 degree floor-to-ceiling windows, pouring natural light and energy into the space without reservation.

▲ In the early sketches, SWS Group wanted the interior to form an organic whole with the architecture and the environment, expressing the positive momentum that extends from the interior to the exterior.

Circle lamp with cage bar

The light is unpredictable.

To set off the distinctly different days and nights

The avant-garde and modern design language is highlighted in the design style, with circular and irregular geometric elements expressed in the space, while the roof, bar and guest area are designed with smooth curves and circular variations, with a Space Age design element, outlining a modern, futuristic architecture and interior space. It is the first time that the company has been in the business of the company.

▲ The circle of lights above the bar changes colors in the day and night, bringing out the distinctly different day and night of Flower Club in the Clouds.

In order to create the most beautiful cyber café on the West Coast, the design concept of Flora in the Clouds revolves around the theme of “technology, future, and the stars”, extracting the most romantic part of the natural ecology, that is, the ever-changing flowers and plants, distilling the essence of each season, weaving a picture of time in spring, summer, autumn and winter, allowing the four seasons to stay here. A living trace of life. The result is a relaxing space that combines a flower room with a café, constructed of plants and flowers, with a sensual experience.

Circle grid forming the guest area

It’s a mixture of the real and the virtual

It is worth mentioning that the design of the seating area is a circle grille shape, made of solid stainless steel, in the space of the virtual and real intertwined, faintly visible effect, for customers also bring a special seating experience. However, in addition to the need for special moldings and repeated tests, the design team also had to go through a lot of trouble when the soft furnishings were brought in. Each circle grille is 2.7 meters in diameter, like a giant, and forklifts, cranes and hydraulic trolleys were called in to coordinate with them in order to transport them smoothly into position.

The 2.7m diameter circle grille, made of solid stainless steel, was moulded and proofed, with every weld exquisite, and the inlaid seats required constant experimentation and adjustment to achieve a comfortable seating experience.

For the first time, the design team used large machines to assist with the soft goods entry, calling on forklifts, cranes and hydraulic trolleys.

Space for flowers and plants

A picture of time in spring, summer, autumn and winter

Floral art is the most important part of the soft furnishings in this project. Because the overall space is dominated by flowers and plants, the layout of the plants designed for the space needs to be considered through seasonal changes, so that the types and colors of plants can be abundantly spread throughout the interior and be planned rationally, plants and flowers include but not limited to bird of paradise, cactus, cactus, Buddha’s beads, sunflower, turtle back bamboo, etc., as well as pink palm, gynostemma, hyacinth, silver lotus, hydrangea, phalaenopsis, roses, etc., which make the space more beautiful. It is richly layered throughout the space, with different imagery of spring, summer, autumn and winter finding its way into the space.

▲ SWS Group Flower Room Manuscript

▲ The florals in the space’s soft furnishings were also handcrafted by the SWS Group team.

Other soft furnishings are styled in a minimalist, naturalistic tone, with futuristic visual elements flowing through the details, foreshadowing the story line’s fantasy around an interstellar future.

The floral design starts from the entrance and spreads to the trellis area of the space, with bouquets, blue flowers, ribbons and other forms all over the space, the cafe blooms with freshness and vitality after opening, attracting people to come and explore Qingdao Town.

The interior space and the building are mutually compatible.

Form an organic whole with the surrounding environment.

Looking back, the early concept of the space focused on a design solution that would integrate the interior space and the building into each other, and then form a more organic whole with the surrounding environment, with the overall effect showing a positive outward momentum. In the initial presentation of the project, another possibility of the café can be seen.

▲ The early concept rendering of the design by SWS Group.

▲Floor plan

Project Information
Developer: Qingdao Vanke
Project Location Location: Qingdao
Project Area：360㎡
Design Director：Sun Wei
Hardcover Team Interior Design: SWS Group
Zhang Zilin  He Yangyang
Soft Goods Team FF&E: SWS Group
Zhu Tianyu  He Huanhuan
Photographer: Jin Xuanmin

SWS Group Architectural Interiors

SWS Group is a multi-faceted architectural interior design practice based in Shanghai, China, with offices in London, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur, comprising of brands such as HD Studio, WS Architects and Yee Home.

SWS Group provides international architectural, interior, master planning, graphic and product design services. The firm’s current projects range from cultural projects, resorts and hotels, educational buildings to high-end clubhouses and residences.