Located in the scenic Rongcheng Ailian Bay area, backed by serene Swan Lake, the “Echoes of the Sea” café embraces nature’s rhythm. Each winter, swans migrate here from Siberia, while in summer, the lake is adorned with blooming lotus flowers, making this beach a beloved spot for locals and tourists alike. The design’s core challenge was to create a harmonious response to the natural surroundings while balancing visibility and subtlety, exterior scale and interior space, all while fulfilling the essential service functions.
The architecture draws inspiration from seashells, with small sand dunes extending naturally from the ground toward the land, seamlessly blending into the beach landscape. The sea-facing facade features curved glass mirrors that reflect the expansive ocean view, offering visitors a captivating 360-degree panoramic experience.
The building’s overall form is a semi-circular arc with an 18-meter diameter that gradually slopes into a larger 40-meter diameter arc on the ground, finally merging seamlessly with the beach. Vertically, the structure divides into three circular zones: from 0.00 to 1.2 meters elevation, an unusable space filled with concrete; from 1.2 to 2.4 meters, a wiring zone housing electrical distribution and utility pipelines for air conditioning, water, and electricity; and from 2.4 to 3.6 meters, the main functional areas.
The coffee lounge is positioned at the wider northern end of the building, featuring increased depth and height. Opening the sliding doors floods the space with sunlight and offers expansive sea views to the south. Centrally located are the bathroom and shower facilities, while the narrower southern end is dedicated to an automated vending area and a children’s corner.
A semi-outdoor curved corridor runs behind the sea-facing glass, connecting the various functional areas. Utilizing specially crafted single-reflective curved glass, this design floods the interior with natural light while maintaining unobstructed sea views. As visitors walk through this corridor, they experience a unique blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, where boundaries between reflection and transparency, light and shadow, subtly shift with the movement of the sun and stars.
The seaside location dictated the use of concrete as a corrosion-resistant building material. Through close collaboration with the local construction team and meticulous attention to formwork details, the final plain concrete finish harmonizes beautifully with the natural beach environment. The wooden grid flooring in the circular corridor effectively filters fine sand brought in from the beach and transitions seamlessly into the refined gray terrazzo floor of the functional areas. The oversized curved single-reflective laminated glass panels, crafted by a professional manufacturer, feature strict process controls to minimize wave distortion during hot bending. Installed onsite with crane assistance, these glass panels align perfectly with the curved concrete wall openings, ensuring the building maintains elegant proportions and a balanced aesthetic when illuminated at night.
For safety and durability, the roof is covered with natural rubber materials. Through extensive testing of different rubber particle colors, a blend was chosen that closely matches the beach’s natural tones, allowing the building to blend seamlessly into its environment. Visitors can freely climb the gently sloping roof of “Echoes of the Sea” to enjoy breathtaking views of the sea from an elevated vantage point. The sea is an inseparable part of this small town’s identity, woven into the spirit of its people. “Echoes of the Sea” quietly listens to the ocean’s voice, sharing that timeless connection with all who visit.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Exploded Diagram
△ Functional Zoning Diagram
△ Model Diagram
Project Information
Architectural Design: Same Architectural Design Firm
Area: 509 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Architectural Vision
Manufacturers: CFG, TAIHE, Yihuida Construction Engineering Hainan Branch Office
Lead Architects: Kong Ashong, Huang Meng
Design Team: Ju Ping, Hu Yukang, Xu Wan, Cao Yuhui
Client: Weihai Tianhe Real Estate Development Co., Ltd
Construction Contractor: Weihai Tianhe Construction Engineering Co., Ltd
Construction Drawing Design: Shandong Dadi Architectural Planning and Design Co., Ltd
Location: Rongcheng City, China
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