BASAO Teahouse Panji by Building Narrative
BASAO Panji in Xiamen, Fujian, represents the third collaboration between tea brand BASAO and design studio Building Narrative. The project explores the dualities between traditional and contemporary tea culture through architectural interventions across three distinct scales - the urban, interior, and furniture scales.
Positioned at a prominent intersection in central Xiamen, the teahouse transforms a corner of a hermetic shopping mall into an inviting urban sanctuary. Building Narrative replaced the original mirrored façade with transparent glazing, establishing a visual dialogue between interior and street.
"The primary design objective was to create a living room for the city," explained the studio. "We developed a palette of natural materials, warm lighting and carefully selected furniture to project a sense of hospitality and domesticity." Outdoor seating arrangements extend the teahouse experience beyond its physical boundaries, connecting patrons to a sunken terrace below and the urban fabric beyond.
The interior spatial organization draws inspiration from traditional Fujian courtyard houses. The central courtyard represents the tallest volume within the teahouse, featuring a tiled floor and an innovative lightbox ceiling that evokes the open sky.
This programmable ceiling element adjusts light intensity throughout the day, creating dynamic atmospheric conditions. Beneath this illuminated canopy, visitors can freely reconfigure loose furniture arrangements according to their needs. A stone fountain anchors the courtyard experience, introducing the soothing sound of flowing water.
In contrast to the open courtyard, the adjacent tea lounge offers a more intimate environment. Custom-designed armchairs invite patrons to settle in, while a dedicated Kongfu tea bar showcases this traditional Fujian brewing method. The bar is precisely scaled for a single tea sommelier who performs the ceremonial brewing process over several rounds, with each hand movement highlighted against the black slate counter. The theatrical display transforms tea drinking into a performative experience.
Rather than employing conventional walls to separate functional zones, oversized furniture elements define the various spaces within BASAO Panji. These large-scale domestic objects—bookshelves, a kitchen island, cabinets, and a communal dining table—frame the different tea-related activities as a series of interconnected scenes.
While proportioned to be visible from the street, these elements reference familiar household items, reinforcing the "living room" concept. This approach became the primary interior design strategy, allowing for fluid transitions between spaces while maintaining distinct atmospheric qualities.
"There are no walls between the courtyard and lounge," the designers explained. "Instead, these furniture-like objects define the spaces, creating a seamless flow between different functional areas."
The project employs a carefully curated selection of materials including Nanchow tiles, oak, Fujian sesame granite, aged metal, and hemp rope. Furniture pieces were sourced from Knight's Craft, Stellar Works, and Singchan Design, while lighting fixtures came from WUU, Leedarson, and Stellar Works.
Through this thoughtful integration of scales, materials, and spatial concepts, BASAO Panji creates an urban oasis that celebrates Fujian's tea traditions while addressing contemporary needs and expectations.
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