A couple both in business and life, Ajax Law and Virginia Lung started One Plus Partnership in 2004 with a vision to bring life to cities through thematic spaces, primarily focusing on cinemas, restaurants, retail stores, clubhouses, sales offices, and commercial offices. Their latest project – Coffee Bar in Haikou, China – is based on the concept "Footprints fade, waves embrace" that emulates the coastal allure of Hainan. The project won multiple international awards this year for its innovative concept and exceptional execution.

A couple both in business and life, Ajax Law and Virginia Lung started One Plus Partnership in 2004 with a vision to bring life to cities through thematic spaces, primarily focusing on cinemas, restaurants, retail stores, clubhouses, sales offices, and commercial offices. Their latest project – Coffee Bar in Haikou, China – is based on the concept "Footprints fade, waves embrace" that emulates the coastal allure of Hainan. The project won multiple international awards this year for its innovative concept and exceptional execution.

Could you tell us about the design concept behind the Haiku project, and how the project originated?

The design concept of the Haiku project was inspired by the unique geographical location of Haikou. As you know, Haikou is an island on the north coast of Hainan Island, with the vast South China Sea surrounding it. Given its close proximity to the ocean, our initial thought was to incorporate elements related to the sea. However, we were determined to create something distinct and avoid the typical use of the colour blue that is commonly associated with the ocean. After much consideration, we chose the brick material as the core theme of our design. The reason for this is that bricks are essentially made from sand, which is a fundamental component of the beach. By using bricks, we aimed to symbolise the connection between the land and the sea, creating a design that is both rooted in the local environment and stands out with its unique aesthetic.

What was the biggest challenge of the project?

The biggest challenge was in the process of transforming the design concept into reality, where we invested a tremendous amount of effort and dedication. There were discrepancies between the positions on the drawings and the actual site, with the entire plane deviating, requiring precise alignment. The entire 3D model had to be revised several times, which was a significant workload to achieve the desired effect. Creating the drawings was also very challenging, but the construction team was extremely co-operative, which allowed us to achieve this outcome. Since the bricks we used had a fixed size and could not be cut arbitrarily, precise adjustments were needed in the design of the ceiling and floor to achieve the required curvatures. This required us to spend a lot of time arranging the bricks in different ways to create a natural and smooth appearance without compromising the integrity of the bricks. Additionally, we deliberately painted an extra colour on the side of the bricks and added lighting to prevent audience falls. Another challenge was the design of the lighting layout. Lighting is a key element in interior design, but to maintain the aesthetics and simplicity of the design, we needed to cleverly hide the lights.

This meant we had to find suitable positions to place the lights without disrupting the overall design. This not only required a deep understanding of the space, but also the ability to come up with innovative solutions to ensure the lighting could provide the necessary illumination without disrupting the harmony of the design. Similarly, air conditioning vents and fire protection equipment also needed to be cleverly concealed, which were challenges that had to be overcome during the design process.

What did 2023-2024 mean to you?

The period from 2023 to 2024 was a time of gradual recovery after the epidemic. Some projects that were being carried out during the epidemic are now gradually coming to fruition, and we can already see the achievements of parts of them, which we are really looking forward to. For example, the designs of Haikou Gaoxingli insun Cinema, Wushang Dream Plaza, and the entire Wanfeng Shopping Mall took many years to complete. They are projects that we have been waiting for quite a long time and have put a lot of effort into.