Blue Bottle Coffee Opens in Ancient Town?! Is Their New Water Chestnut Cake Affogato Delicious?

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Finally opened in Jing'an District, Shanghai!

After rounds of speculation from netizens, Blue Bottle Coffee's fourth store is located in Panlong Tiandi, Qingpu District, Shanghai, and will officially open to the public tomorrow (April 28).

Revitalizing Local Culture

How to awaken dormant local culture has become a popular topic in the design industry in recent years. As the younger generation increasingly focuses on promoting and showcasing local culture, various regions have also begun planning to integrate ancient towns and old buildings with modern design while preserving their original appearance, providing everyone with an opportunity to understand local urban culture. Brands from various industries also like to establish their stores in old buildings, allowing brands to combine with local cultural traditions and environments, enabling consumers to gain a deeper understanding of the brand in spaces filled with memories.

Blue Bottle Coffee's fourth store is located between a century-old historic residence and a new dwelling (newly built house) in Panlong Tiandi, divided into three sections - the historic residence area, the new dwelling area, and the public gathering area.

Historical Significance

Panlong Tiandi was formerly known as Panlong Ancient Town. The town was built along the water, possessing the unique charm of Jiangnan water towns. After restoration and renovation, it further highlights Jiangnan culture and the experience of waterside living. The century-old historic residence where Blue Bottle Coffee is located features a rare "baosha structure" in local architecture - a small house attached to the side of the main building, surrounding the main hall.

Blue Bottle's main area is established in the main hall of the historic residence. The main hall features a canvas-like white color scheme, appearing bright and soft, adorned with wooden doors and windows decorated with window patterns, combining with the ancient town scenery like a beautiful Jiangnan painting.

Interior Design

The interior of the main hall also preserves the "chuan dou tai liang" wooden structure typical of historic residences. The restored black sandalwood, paired with contemporary stainless steel bar counters and equipment, corresponds in color to the high-contrast combination of traditional Jiangnan's white walls and black tiles, creating a dialogue between modernity and tradition in the space.

The seating area is established in two small rooms facing the courtyard, echoing the typical "front shop, back residence" layout of ancient towns. The furniture selection includes traditionally interpreted beds, tea platforms, eight-immortal tables, and narrow tables.

On the west side outside the historic residence is a public square on one side of the ancient town's stage square. Blue Bottle Coffee has also established a circular seating area between the original rest pavilion and camphor trees here, continuing the life scenes of residents' past visits to the public square.

The new dwelling part is located opposite the historic residence, separated by a small path and backed by a waterway that runs through the entire ancient town. In the new dwelling, visitors can see stone bridges crossing the river and docks where ships berth. The overall transparent and open design allows everyone standing in the historic residence area to also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Jiangnan water town.

Brand Consistency and Special Offerings

Looking back at Blue Bottle Coffee's several domestic stores, the Yutong store was chosen in a small western-style building with Sino-Western architectural style, the Zhangyuan store was selected in a traditional shikumen building in old alleys, and the Panlong Tiandi store is located in an ancient town residence with Jiangnan water town scenery. Each location selection allows consumers to experience the brand's charm in environments filled with memories and historical architecture. Besides the architectural charm, the Panlong store will also launch a product with traditional flavor - Water Chestnut Cake Affogato!

Water chestnut cake is a traditional snack in regions such as Jiangsu, Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi. Due to historical population migration, water chestnut cake has also become one of the many memories in Shanghai's old alleys. The soft, waxy, and lightly sweet water chestnut cake paired with the rich milky flavor of affogato and the slight bitterness of coffee creates a combination that is truly something to look forward to!

Image source: Internet

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