BLUE Architecture Studio has created the Zolaism café on China's Aranya Gold Coast, featuring interior columns camouflaged as rugged boulders.

Located in the coastal city of Qinhuangdao, the design employs glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) for the columns, crafted by hand and modelled through foam and clay prototypes.

The columns, with their rough textures, create a natural landscape ambiance within the café's glass walls. On a practical level, they serve as seating ledges, benches and even outdoor terrace blocks.

Two of the four columns are hollow to accommodate more intimate seating areas that can be entered via arched entrances. Simple benches and paper lanterns furnish these spaces, while small portholes offer views out to the street beyond.

This project has been longlisted in the hospitality project category of Dezeen Awards 2023.

Studio: BLUE Architecture Studio
Project: Zolaism Café