Yakafu

Anji, a picturesque town near Hangzhou, houses the flagship DIY store of a young Chinese brand. The design of the store is a composition of clear geometries in colorful and textured materials. The exterior of the store features backlit blue, perforated metal surfaces, which make the facade stand out from its surroundings. In the store’s interior, the bar, service counters and display areas are organized in seemingly scattered terrazzo blocks of various heights and sizes.

The centerpiece is a large sculptural staircase in blue terrazzo that occupies a significant part of the floorplan, giving the illusion of an interior atrium. This staircase seems to be growing out of a base of terrazzo blocks, which serve as a seating area. The staircase softly climbs toward the second floor, with steps and landings in irregular shapes and sizes.

A large graphic wall made of perforated metal panels is backlit in vivid blue and yellow. It stands as a background to the staircase, taking visitors to the second floor. There, the negative space created by the staircase divides the second floor into two areas: the “Do It Yourself” room, where baking classes take place, and multipurpose rooms for events and functions.

There is a playfulness and openness in the overall composition. Walls do not reach up to the ceiling, arches and rooms don’t entirely close, and canopies are cantilevered. The washrooms are placed upstairs in a large, bright blue box, an objet trouvé that separates the two rooms. The material selection is inspired by children’s naivete: blue and yellow perforated metal, silver mosaic tiles, terrazzo with tainted glass, pink acrylic panels, and white tiles with bright touches of neon.