HEYTEA Shamian DP Store | Leaping Creative

Heritage Reborn

On Shamian Island—a historic enclave of European elegance along the Pearl River—century-old architecture stands as a silent witness to the ebb and flow of time. Within this context, Leaping Creative has unveiled the latest HEYTEA DP (Day Dreamer Project) store. Occupying a Neoclassical landmark from the early 20th century—formerly a branch of the Standard Chartered Bank and a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit since 1996—the project presents a unique design inquiry: how to honor the building’s historic gravitas while subtly injecting local vernacular inspiration and the brand’s modern tactile identity.

A Summer Retreat in Bamboo Shadows

In contrast to the relentless pace of the modern metropolis, Guangzhou is defined by a soulful, laid-back pragmatism rooted in its vibrant street life. For the Lao Guang (local residents), tea is more than a beverage; it is a ritual woven into the everyday—from idle chatter under banyan trees to the steam-filled dim sum halls and the cooling herbal brews of local apothecaries.

Leaping Creative takes this narrative as a starting point, collaborating with HEYTEA to distill "bamboo"—a quintessential element of Cantonese life found in steaming baskets and summer mats—into a spatial language. By using bamboo weaving as a medium, the designers have created a core spatial signature that reinterprets the timeless scene of enjoying tea under a cool canopy.

The Facade

The original facade remains meticulously preserved, its pale ochre walls and classical columns casting a rich, vintage texture under the sunlight. Before even entering, the presence of bamboo quietly emerges. Leaping Creative has integrated the iconic HEYTEA logo into a cubic lantern of woven rattan, nestled within the original architectural details. The warm glow creates a harmonious dialogue between the weathered masonry of the past and a curated, modern aesthetic.

Western Form, Eastern Soul

Beneath the Western architectural shell lies an Eastern core of "Tea-Zen." Leaping Creative uses vignettes of daily life to reconnect with the raw materiality of the region, reconstructing a brand space that is both grounded in local context and sharply modern. The relaxed pragmatism of Cantonese life permeates the interior, recalibrating the senses and transporting visitors to a "slow time" reminiscent of afternoons spent lingering beneath a village banyan tree.

240 Hours of Hand-Weaving

The visual centerpiece is a massive, handcrafted installation—a tribute to Intangible Cultural Heritage. By elevating the humble bamboo weave into a contemporary spatial vessel, the studio breathes new life into this ancient craft.

To ensure the structural integrity of the historic site, the team engineered an internal wall system to house a hidden steel frame, using the two existing columns as primary load-bearing points for the suspended ceiling. At the heart of the store, the seating area—inspired by traditional bamboo daybeds—mirrors the textures above, evoking the breezy ease of "good shade beneath a generous tree." As light filters through the rhythmic weave, it fractures into dappled shadows, as if the entire store were tucked under a sprawling banyan grove, creating a rich, layered atmosphere of "sitting in stillness, drinking tea, and listening to the wind."

A Fulcrum Between Eras: Finding Balance in the Details

In both spatial flow and scenic design, Leaping Creative sought a delicate equilibrium between the traditional and the contemporary. At the entrance, a waist-high wooden cabinet evokes the "Yat-bou-leung-gin"" (One pot, two pieces) warmth of neighborhood teahouses. As the afternoon sun slants in, the space basks in the leisurely shadows cast by bamboo screens, a scene that feels like a deliberate pull on the heartstrings of memory.

A collection of tea-scent diffusers and artisanal ware is arranged across counters repurposed from vintage furniture. This fusion preserves the "patina of years" while granting the space a new functional life. The service bar is modeled after a traditional herbal apothecary, leaning into the wellness-focused heritage of Cantonese cooling teas to create a singular cultural atmosphere. Behind it, a "hundred-drawer" cabinet—the iconic chest of the Chinese pharmacist—is detailed with recycled vintage pulls, a quiet reinforcement of the site's historical layering.

Even the walls participate in the narrative: tiles mimic the interlocking weave of a bamboo mat, cool to the touch. In the corner, a stack of woven baskets looks as if it were just brought in from a hillside harvest, a rustic installation that recreates the simple, fragrant warmth of a traditional tea-making workshop.