FG studio's ye café wraps glass walls around camphor trees in shanghai

ye café emerges from woodland along Shanghai‘s Huangpu River

Tucked within a grove of camphor trees along Shanghai‘s Huangpu River, Ye Café, or Wild Café, stands as an architectural tribute to nature. Once home to a solitary sculpture, the tranquil woodland site has been transformed into a space that welcomes both leisure and vibrant activity. Designed by FG Studio, the café is a minimalist glass box where the surrounding environment takes center stage. Through refined materials and integration with the landscape, the design balances elegance, warmth, and the untamed beauty of its setting.

all images by Right Angle

FG studio’s architecture converses with the natural setting

Ye Café’s architecture is defined by expansive glass walls and white frames, fostering an open dialogue with nature. The structure emerges from the forest path blending into its woodland surroundings. Inside, the glass frames dynamic vignettes of the natural scenery, allowing guests to feel simultaneously sheltered and immersed. Over time, creeping vines will envelop the exterior, further integrating the building into its camphor-lined environment.

Shanghai-based office FG Studio prioritized preserving the site’s original topology by avoiding the removal of any trees. The building intersects with nature, wrapping glass partitions around tree trunks, transforming them into verdant interior courtyards. This thoughtful design approach fosters a close relationship between the built form and the forest. Outside, a winding wooden boardwalk snakes through the trees, inviting visitors to wander and explore. The interplay of light and shadow, visible from every angle, transforms Ye Café into a bridge connecting people with the natural scenery.

Ye Café sits in a grove of camphor trees along Shanghai’s Huangpu River, blending architecture with the wild

locally-sourced materials balance simplicity and elegance

The materials used at Ye Café reflect a restrained and thoughtful approach, balancing simplicity with locality. Glass and metal frameworks create a sense of lightness and transparency, while raw shipping container panels add a rugged, tactile contrast. Inside, furniture crafted from multilayered wood panels brings warmth and texture, combining clean lines with a welcoming atmosphere.

The bamboo benches, unassuming yet rich in regional character, offer a tactile connection to the surrounding environment. On one side of the café, corrugated metal cladding replaces glass walls, creating a soft interplay of light and shadow that evokes a meditative calm. This subtle choreography of sunlight enlivens the space, mirroring the gentle rhythms of the forest throughout the day.

the café’s glass-box design allows nature to take center stage, offering a tranquil retreat

Ye Café celebrates the changing moods of the seasons. In spring, the sound of raindrops on leaves and ripples across the river forms a soothing symphony. In summer, dappled sunlight dances on the glass walls, while autumn covers the boardwalk in golden leaves, enhancing the serene atmosphere. In winter, the café is enveloped in mist, making the glass structure appear weightless, as though it hovers among the trees. Even the ground beneath the café is designed to connect with the natural setting—a perforated metal floor allows earthy humidity to infuse the interior. Guests can enjoy a book at the communal table or sit on a bamboo bench, letting the space’s tranquility wash over them.

expansive glass walls frame vignettes of the surrounding woodland, immersing guests in nature

tree trunks transform into verdant interior courtyards, erasing the divide between inside and out

the glass structure appears weightless, as though floating among the trees

glass, metal, and raw shipping container panels balance transparency and rugged texture

corrugated metal cladding creates a calming interplay of light and shadow, perfect for quiet reflection

seating made of locally sourced bamboo adds warmth and a tangible link to the environment

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looking to the park outside

in between the interior and exterior

corner area

the simple and clean backdrop for seating

the interior during the sunset

project info:

name: Ye Café
architect: FG Studio

client: Jialing

location: Shanghai, China

photography: Right Angle

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom