The café of the West Bund Art & Design fair is located in a 577 m2 large glass pavilion that is inserted to the voluminous industrial structure of a former steel factory that functions as the fairground. The main design element is a light sculpture made of over 500 metres of LED light lines that runs through the entire space. The café accommodates up to 120 guests and has two bars.

The atmosphere of the café is characterised by a dialogue of natural light, artificial light and reflections. During the daytime, an abundance of natural light flows through the floor-to‑ceiling glass curtains and balances the visual impact of the dynamic light sculpture. At night, the space is dominated by the warm glow of the sculpture and its multiple reflections in the window glass. The design as a poetic approach to express the function of the space as a place where people meet, dine and talk. The design aims to initiate dialogues between the two natures of light.

To implement the idea, the team of COO worked with the unusual architectural structure and light situation in the space. During the design process, the team used a real-time 3D-model to explore the space and study natural light and the course of the sun. 3D specialists then integrate lines of light into the model that followed the structure of the space which are in dialogue with the natural light and the reflection of the surrounding glass curtain. During the implementation phase, the team studied the effect in the real world and made punctual adjustments by adding, moving or removing some lines according to the observation on site.

Through the flowing dialogue between artificial and natural lights, COORDINATION brings an extraordinary and sublime artistic experience to the guests at West Bund Café.