Atelier L models conical cafe pop-up in Beijing on coffee drippers

Two curved stainless-steel cones based on the form of coffee drippers house Kurasu Pop-up, a temporary cafe in Beijing designed by architecture studio Atelier L.

Named Kurasu Pop-up after its client, the Japanese coffee company Kurasu, the pop-up kiosk measures 28 square metres and is located within Beijing's Taikoo Li Santilun shopping centre.

It was designed by Atelier L to counter what it called the "generic" nature of its surroundings, with a sculptural form that would gently reflect the trees and lights that line the site.

"The pop-up sits in the North Block of Taikoo Li Sanlitun, surrounded by luxury flagships and a series of generic 'box-style' pop-ups," Atelier L co-founders Dake Li and Nan Lei told Dezeen.

"We sought to break the box typology and make a visually striking space that interacts with its context," they added.

"The diffuse reflection of the stainless steel facade turns it into a flowing canvas for street lighting, capturing the seasons and passersby."

Temporary cafe in Beijing — Its conical form is modelled on coffee drippers

The form of the Kurasu Pop-up was derived from the shape of a coffee dripper, referencing the pour-over coffee for which Kurasu is well-known.

Atelier L also looked to China and Japan's shared history of paper folding, with the steel sheets of each cone designed to echo curved sheets of paper.

The larger cone contains the coffee bar beneath an illuminated ceiling, while the adjoining smaller cone has been angled to create a funnel-shaped standing bar. This contains a circular pivot window at one end, framing views of the trees.

Inside, the larger cone has been finished with textured beige paint, and the smaller cone is lined in aluminium panels with a wood-grain print, chosen to achieve a warmer feel without sacrificing durability and ease of construction.

The bar itself is fronted with timber slats and topped in stainless steel, with wooden shelving above and a rear steel door at the back covered by noren curtains – a traditional Japanese divider made from fabric.

Both cones sit on a low rectangular metal plinth topped with gravel and boulders, where small tables allow visitors to perch alongside a bench affixed to the exterior of the larger cone.

Coffee bar in Beijing — The larger cone contains the coffee bar

"The busy street required an immersive coffee experience, and we also needed to elegantly resolve structural issues from the sculptural form," Li and Lei explained.

"With a construction timeline of only two months, our design needs to balance weather resistance and buildability," they added.

"On the first snowy day, when snow covered the vessel tops, the stainless steel reflected a black-and-white urban scene, and warm light glowed from inside, the design intent was fulfilled."