Winner name：

Chen Yijie / Chine

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Introduction：

Humbly located at 25 Maodao Street, a once-derelictbungalow bordersthe city on the southern front, gate of the “Old City”, is now home to Pine & Dine. At firstglance, elements from the neighbourhood’s historic past, such as thetraditional perimeter walls, dot the premise. One will easily recognize thetraditional tiled roof overhanging the entrance, a relic that had been passeddown from generations ago. At the same time, exposed blue bricks that make upthe traditional perimeter walls that had stand erect for over a century shylytake peeks of the outside world from behind the pieces of decaying wall paint.As traditional buildings in southof the city continue to age with time, their age only becomes moredistinguishable, prompting the question of how life was like in anotherera.  

The Pine & Dine project is a “preservation,restoration, and rejuvenation” project that focuses on the contrasts between“the static and the dynamic”, “the old and the new”, and “the past and thefuture”. Along the lines of contrast, inspiration behind situating a Westernstyle eatery in the center of a traditional Chinese neighbourhood already is anabstract idea, one that is not bound by architectural principles or historicalexpectations. Rather, it is a breath of fresh air and new energy into aneighbourhood that has long outlived its prime. Preserving the originalperimeter walls surrounding the front courtyard, the architect illustrates areflection of the structure’s historic past. Amidst the traditionalarchitectural themes emerges modern design elements, systemically creating achannel for which the old and the new can smoothly integrate, inspiringpassersby a sense of curiosity to unfold its astounding mysteries.

Upon entry, one will notice the unusual depth of theinterior space, which had been purposefully extend by removing 3 demising wallsto transform 3 separate dwelling units into one contiguous space. The originalframing and pillars, of which its coating remains unchanged, have beenpreserved to maintain its original architectural themes. To fully rejuvenatethe space, the traditional elements are complemented by freshly coated whitewalls and flooring, elegant wooden dining chairs, and other modern furnishings.Above it all is a collection of ambient overhanging lights that flicker behindwhite silk sheets, rendering the space into a dynamic one that seems to have alife of its own. Large panels of floor to ceiling glass secured by the organicqualities of wooden frames welcome the calming glow of daylight into thestructure. On a sunny day, the ever-

changing sunlight throughout the daycreates a wonderful display of colorful gleaming lights which are actually thereflections of sunlight bouncing off various items in the dining hall. In thecentral courtyard stands the original exterior walls that consist of layers ofblue brick placed upon a layer of gravel. This gravel, which surround the mainstructure, is also a timeless relic that undyingly gives anyone who enters anawe-inspiring experience and a journey back in time.

During the daytime, Pine & Dine is a casual caféserving brunch, coffee, and cakes. However, as the sun sets, Pine & Dinebecomes a cocktail bar and grill that serves as a place of comfort for everydayindividuals to retire from everyday life. Transitioning from its casual daytimeservice to its trendy night time service, the space had been specificallydesigned to retain a certain level of flexibility that delivers a unique diningexperience throughout the day.

Continuing its motif of contrast, the bar section,aptly named “The Den” is uniquely situated on the second floor in the style ofa treehouse. The chairs have been elevated to mimic the feeling of being servedoff the side of a treehouse, bringing about a sense of imagination, intimateconversations, and storytelling.

The entire space emanates a sense of warmth andtranquility behind an antique backdrop that brings visitor back in time, anexperience of Deja vous. The minimalistic design, sharp edges, and antiquefurniture together with luscious plants that had been spread throughout thespace seamlessly combines the old and the new, a modern take on preserving thepast, rejuvenating decay, transforming our perception of time.

Finally,Igot roots and I got wings.