As a baker who creates delicious donuts based on simple ingredients such as eggs, flour,and milk, designers compose a space based on four key elements-characteristic, form &lighting, backstory, and theme. This time, we received the brief to design a retail shop todisplay and serve their beautiful donuts to the customers. The owner wants a bright & cozyshop that comprises an indoor donuts/ coffee shop and outdoor seating areas.

Although the brief seems pretty basic, the odd shape of the site resembles a sharptriangular with expanded front and narrow back with two street accesses. To solve theissue of the narrow land, our design proposed an innovative idea for the layout. An open-plan design combined with the applications of wide-glass doors andfloor-to-ceilingwindows will create a seamless flow between indoor & outdoor seating areas.

The connection of indoor and outdoor seating areas will also create an illusion of anenormous shop floor area. Although the land is radically narrow toward theback, theshopfront area is expansive with a double shopfront. By bringing the counter, displaycabinet, and seating area to the front, the shop may draw more attention from pedestriansto the sweet donuts in the display cabinet. The functional spaces such as the kitchenette,toilet, and storage located at the back of the shop along the narrow lane-way provide betteraccess for staff and delivery services.

The inspiration for our design comes from the products themselves, as well as thephilosophy of thestore owner. The warm-tone timber ceiling correlates with the color of thebaked donuts. The pieces of furniture are also carefully selected to reflect the shape of thedonuts. Apart from the warm-bright orange color, the selection of black paint for thewindow frame and the wall brings a sleek feeling to the design that emphasizes acontemporary retail theme.

Bright and dark color, smooth and rough finish-the contrast of the materialsillustrates the best feeling when biting a donut-crunchy outside but moist and softinside.