wooden roost boxes nestle on monumental columns for 'chic chic bird' noodle shop in china

Chic Chic Bird Noodle Shop + Café IN china

On a corner plot on a bustling commercial street of Wuhan, China, ‘Chic Chic Bird’ noodle shop and café undoubtedly entices passersby’s attention. Conceived by Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Qing Studio, the result sees an exuberant design that pleases the eye and invites people to come closer and discover the inside. Although the shop occupies only the ground floor, the facade extends upwards to the first floor overlapping a large blind surface of the neighboring retail shop’s signboard.

Two monumental columns define the outline of the store and form a tray-like canopy that hosts two large-scale bird sculptures roosting in their wooden home. Dozens of smaller timber nest boxes accomplish the design of the facade, exuding a playful character to the entire structure. This cheerful yet dynamic gesture serves as a branding tool marking the identity of a space that is difficult to overlook.

all images by Guan Guan Zhiqiu-Qingweishe

an eye-catching three-dimensional facade 

Through the ‘Chic Chic Bird’ project, the design team sought to insert a vibrant touch into the shopping street of Wuhan, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. The biggest challenge for the design team was to handle the two structural elements that interrupted the horizontality of the storefront. Thus, they excessively enlarged the existing columns and tilted them in different directions to eliminate the sense of weight and mark the store’s entrance.

On top of this volume lay two platforms that nestle the wooden boxes. Serving as canopies, the platforms run through the interior and extend towards the public street as much as possible. This creates a dialogue between in and out, as the two spaces are interweaved under the massive sculptures. Inside, the architects collected the seats around a 10-meter-long counter that encloses the kitchen. Thus, the neat arrangement completed with wall-to-wall sliding doors opens up the space and forms a more spacious and welcoming entrance area.

the existing columns were widened and tilted in different directions

the interior and exterior spaces intertwine under the two canopies

the facade is covered with a set of wooden nest boxes

the generous facade enlivens the shopping district

two birds sculptures inside their home are the protagonists of the exuberant design

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project info:

name: ChicChicBird Noodle Shop + Coffee
design: Huazhong University of Science and Technology + Qing Studio
design team: Hu Xing, Liu Changming, Li Zhe, Yan Chunyang, Li Hongyu, Hu Kangxin, Luo Tingkai, Yin Ruobing, Peng Hongyu, Wen Xiongfei
VI design unit: boombrand
construction unit: upper right of big wood
completion date: March 2023
location: KA Street, Fanyuehui, Shouyi Square, Wuhan
area: 160 sqm
owner: Wuhan Energy Infinite Technology Co., LTD
photography: Zhao Yilong