Atelier L's conical pop-up cafe in Beijing references coffee drippers

Architecture studio Atelier L has completed Kurasu Pop-up, a temporary cafe in Beijing's Taikoo Li Sanlitun shopping centre. The 28-square-metre kiosk consists of two curved stainless-steel cones modelled on coffee drippers, referencing the pour-over coffee of Japanese client Kurasu. The design aims to counter the generic box-style pop-ups and luxury flagships of the North Block. The larger cone houses the coffee bar under an illuminated ceiling; the adjoining smaller cone is angled to form a funnel-shaped standing bar with a circular pivot window framing tree views. Interiors feature textured beige paint in the larger cone and wood-grain aluminium panels in the smaller one. The bar has timber slats, stainless steel top, wooden shelving, and a rear door with noren curtains. Both cones sit on a low metal plinth with gravel, boulders, small tables, and a bench. Atelier L co-founders Dake Li and Nan Lei cited a two-month construction timeline and the need to balance weather resistance and buildability. The studio was founded in New York in 2019 and is now based in Guangzhou, China. Photography is by Jin Weiqi.