A new architectural project in Suzhou, China, demonstrates how contemporary design can honor historical industrial heritage while embracing modern brand philosophy. The Snow Peak Cafe, designed by KiKi ARCHi and completed in 2024, occupies a 200-square-meter space within a two-story red brick building in the MATRO Luxury Centre, strategically positioned adjacent to the northern edge of the renowned Humble Administrator's Garden.
The building itself carries significant historical weight, being one of 22 red-brick warehouses originally constructed in the 1950s. These industrial structures have been thoughtfully reimagined to complement the classical gardens of Suzhou, creating a unique urban fabric where architectural order meets the organic flow of nature. This transformation represents a careful balance between preserving industrial memory and introducing contemporary natural ease.
Lead architect Yoshihiko Seki, working alongside design team members Saika Akiyoshi and Takahito Yagyuda, grounded the entire design concept in Snow Peak's core philosophy of "Embrace Your Nature." This guiding principle influenced every spatial strategy and material choice, with the architects using their design approach to interpret the fundamental essence of nature and freedom within an urban commercial context.
The design methodology emphasized minimal intervention and deep respect for site-specific context. Seki and his team made the deliberate decision to preserve the original red-brick textures and structural framework of the historic building. Through a restrained yet expressive approach, local architectural elements were carefully reinterpreted into a new formal language, ultimately shaping a functional space that aligns seamlessly with Snow Peak's brand identity.
Upon entering the ground floor, visitors immediately encounter a striking multifunctional bar positioned at the center of the space. This central element serves multiple purposes, functioning as the core hub for brand display, pour-over coffee preparation, product showcase, and cashier operations. Beyond its functional roles, the bar anchors the spatial flow and serves as the primary visual focus point for the entire interior.
The bar's construction showcases innovative material dialogue, featuring layered timber strips that deliberately echo the structural logic of the building's original stacked red bricks. This timber framework is topped with a steel panel, creating a compelling material contrast that speaks to both industrial heritage and contemporary craftsmanship. The steel surface extends seamlessly onto micro-cement steps, forming a continuous display interface that conveys a striking sense of levitation and lightness throughout the space.
The micro-cement staircase represents another masterful design element, appearing to grow organically from the ground level. This sculptural feature integrates seamlessly alongside the central bar and extends upward to connect with the second floor. With its minimal and restrained form, the staircase connects the vertical space through a fluid, understated gesture that transcends mere functionality. Rather than serving simply as a circulation path, the staircase functions as a display element in its own right, transforming spatial elevation into an internal rhythm that drives continuity and progression throughout the cafe.
On the second floor, the design philosophy embraces an even more restrained and purified expression. The architectural intervention remains light yet deliberate, featuring stepped seating constructed from reclaimed red bricks that anchor the upper level space. Slender timber strips are used to subtly delineate seating boundaries, creating an environment that evokes the sensation of dwelling within natural terrain while maintaining a careful balance between raw authenticity and refined comfort.
Existing timber beams throughout the second floor have been painted white, a design choice that softens the visual weight of the brick and wood materials while infusing the space with a local interpretation of Snow Peak's "Embrace Your Nature" philosophy. This treatment helps stir visitors' imagination, encouraging them to envision themselves on a journey into nature even while remaining in an urban commercial setting.
The material palette throughout the project demonstrates sophisticated restraint and purposeful selection. Natural timber, weathered red brick, refined steel panels, and micro-cement are applied consistently throughout the space, creating environments where coarse regional textures meet the precision of modern craftsmanship. This material contrast is not designed as a clash but rather as a thoughtful dialogue, where different material languages complement and enhance one another.
The project successfully responds to and extends Snow Peak's foundational philosophy of "minimal interference with nature," exploring a spatial expression that achieves both freedom and refinement simultaneously. Through their minimalist design approach, the architects honor the site's original industrial character while giving physical shape to Snow Peak's unique outdoor living aesthetic. This aesthetic achieves a delicate balance between the rawness of natural elements and the subtlety of daily urban life, ultimately allowing even city dwellers to sense and experience the poetry of the wild within a commercial cafe environment.
