LoAF restaurant by Atmosphere

As daily life gradually resumes across China, so does the choice where to have lunch. This first world prerogative is taken most seriously by a discerning demographic in the country’s biggest cities, including Chengdu. It’s in this boomtown where a demographic of picky palates have a new option where to indulge in coffee, good food and jolly banter amidst one of the coolest settings of late. Called LoAF, an abbreviation of Love of Awesome Food, the restaurant is located in the downtown neighbourhood of Jinjiang. The café occupies a 165 sqm. (1,776 sq.ft.) ground floor unit of a high-rise building and features an interior design created by Chinese practice Atmosphere. The façade is marked by openwork bricks and a single window, and gives away the sophisticated sense of textures, materials and forms which have shaped the interior. Timber dominates the space, covering not only the entire floor, but also the entire back wall, which frames the open kitchen, while it’s also captured by wall panelling and a suspended, softly flowing ceiling. The ceiling is backlit and illuminates the corrugated white board on the walls in such a way, it optically enlarge the space. An elongated concrete bar and service station with marble top sits in the middle of the space, and comes with suspended shelving with built-in spotlights. Wooden tables line one side walls and the façade, and paired with wooden Thonet chairs. The other side sees more relaxed seating, comprising of lounge sofas and small metal tables. Additional lighting is provided by suspended linear light fixtures and a variety of pendant lamps. LoAF is an all-day venue, serving lunch, brunch, and in the evening, all the drinks you’d expect from a well-stocked bar.

Designed by Atmosphere

Images © Atmosphere

Photography: He Chuan