Swoop Coffee And Taixi Restaurant

The Small West Lake area is one of the historic areas ofNanjing which is typical with blue brick, small tile, horsehead wall, and corridor decorated with lattice window. Itwas once the property of Mr. Shen Sanwan (1130-1394), agreat merchant in the late Yuan Dynasty. During the earlyMing & Qing Dynasties，many residents were gathering andstaying here. It has a history of 600 years, carrying deepmemories of Nanjing. SWOOP Coffee and Taixi Restaurant are located at 23 Ma DaoStreet in Xiaoxihu, an old house with three courtyards. Thefront court is the open SWOOP coffee area, and the backcourt is the Thai restaurant. Adhering to the concept of “presenting contemporaryatmosphere in Chinese architecture, integrating moderndesign with tradition”, the design strives to maintain theoriginal style of the building, showing the contemporary newlifestyle and business form. SWOOP Coffee,build a staircase up to the tiled roof in thesecond courtyard. Guests can sit and enjoy the fun of looking up at thesky. On the wall at the entrance of SWOOP, two materials, bluebrick and terrazzo, are chosen to reflect each other. Bluebrick represents tradition, and terrazzo representsmodernity, symbolizing the alternation and integration ofold and new. SWOOP’s logo is made of stainless steel andstands on black brick to represent the brand’s modernity andindependence. The first courtyard is completely open, pedestrians comingand going on the road are expected to see the scene ofguests enjoying coffee in the courtyard. To enter thecourtyard, you need to turn to the right side of thecourtyard, which not only increases the ritual feeling ofentering the shop, but also ensures that the guests in thecourtyard are not disturbed, and the proper distance makeseach become the scenery of each other. The way to enter the store is paved with natural andprimitive blue slate, leading to the secluded spot Theground of guest area chooses gluey stone, concise andmodern. Guest area tables and chairs can be freely combined. On sunny, breezy days, guests enjoy relaxing here. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, which is wellpreserved, covered with transparent glass and made into atable, becoming a group of guests leaning against the wall. Through the glass table, you can look down into the ancientwell, and experience the past life in the modern courtyard. The first Ancient House is set as SWOOP Coffee. All woodenbeams and columns have been retained to reflect itstimeliness. Stainless steel island bar is placed in themiddle of the whole house for coffee ordering. The roof ofthe old house is 4. 9 meters high. In view of its outstandingspace, a whirlpool nebula-like dome light has been speciallydesigned for SWOOP which flows through the Chinese woodenbeams and condenses from large to small layers from top tobottom. The collision of contemporary elements in theChinese architecture brings a sense of experience, becomingthe visual focus of the coffee area. Echoing the wooden beams and columns of the old house, woodenfolding Windows have been selected, which can be completelyopened and connected with the outdoor courtyard. Woodentables and chairs are also selected to provide warmth andaffection. The eaves and doors of the building are made ofmodern stainless steel, while the interior floors are simpleterrazzo. With the contrast of wood and stainless steel, tometaphor meaning traditional and modern. The second courtyard connects the coffee area and the diningarea. It is designed as a circular patio, and the eaves areadded to shelter guests from wind and rain. The corridor onthe right side is complemented by floor-to-ceiling glass,enclosing the indoor dining area. The corridor on the leftadds a staircase leading to the second floor roof, whichtransforms into an excellent experience area. Above thecourtyard, the blue sky and white clouds, white walls andtiles are within easy reach. Watching the pigeons flying by,overlooking the people coming and going in the store, it israre to have such a free breathing space in the crowded andchaotic old city. Tropical plants are planted in the middle of the courtyard. People on the roof can see the beautiful scenery from thetop down, and indoor dining guests can enjoy it throughfloor-to-ceiling glass, both vision is perfect andundisturbed. The second courtyard and corridor are another ritual baptismfor guests, from which guests continue to arrive at thesecond ancient hosue – Taixi Restaurant. Guests will firstarrive at a golden aisle flanked by semi-transparent brasspartitions, which will lead them to different dining areas. Seated guests can also enjoy their meal in peace of mind inthis package of brass partitions The restaurant focuses on Thai cuisine.