The restaurant’s interior design is characterized by a polished yet raw aesthetic that the designers call ‘wild nature in concrete jungles’. Enveloped in polished stone surfaces and smooth timber panelling, the décor’s sleek elegance is enriched by a series of rough, natural textures harmoniously integrated into the design: wooden blocks supporting a dining counter, the building’s exposed concrete columns that have been left untreated, and coarse stone blocks that serve as displays. Likewise, an elemental architectural language of arches and cylinders is subtly juxtaposed with abstract geometrical shapes in the terrazzo-like patterned stone flooring. The marriage of the natural and the manmade that such textural and pictorial juxtapositions represent not only imbues the space with a unique elegance but also poetically traces the tea’s journey from fresh leaves to cultural institution.

MIMO’s interior design is intricately linked with the brand identity that VBN developed based on the concept of ‘City Elves’. From paper cups and coasters, to graphic paintings on the walls, if you look closely, playful elf figures populate the restaurant. But probably the biggest clue to their existence is the cylindrical glass house that the designers have prominently placed in the middle of the open-plan space. Conceived as a miniature elf habitat and functioning as an oversized display case and performance space, the glass enclosure contains a series of sculptural compositions constructed out of organic materials that conjure a magical realm but also echoed the venue’s natural vs. manmade dialectic. The display also brings to mind various rare and precious plants which were a popular teahouse decoration during the Song Dynasty, a reminder that despite its contemporary appearance, teahouses like this go back a long way.