Five Ice Cream Shops Offering Cool Architectural Respite

As the UK braces for its hottest summer on record, Dezeen has curated five ice cream shops worldwide that combine refreshing treats with striking architecture. The selection spans from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, each designed to provide a cool escape. In Miyakojima, Japan, SR Ice Cream by Kii features a curved pink ceiling chosen to harmonize with its environment at any time of day or night, using local limestone and perforated concrete bricks. Buenos Aires' Veneciana Canning Ice Cream Drive Thru by DRM Arquitectura sits on inverted V-columns near National Route No. 58, functioning as both a quick-build roadside stop and an announcement sign. Melbourne's Little Sky by Ewert Leaf showcases the gelato-making process with pink and blue hues contrasted against terrazzo tables and solid-oak seats. London's Milk Train in Covent Garden, designed by FormRoom, caters to its Instagram demographic with cloud ceilings and neon signage, offering candy floss ice cream. Finally, Ještě Jednu in Brno, Czech Republic, by Holky Rády Architekturu, fills a compact 29.5-square-metre space with arches, undulating surfaces, stainless-steel details, and a fluted concrete-panel counter. These shops demonstrate how thoughtful design can enhance the simple pleasure of ice cream, offering both visual and physical coolness during heatwaves.