Small Stove & Xiaoshujiao is a unique bakery and coffee shop combined with an indoor and outdoor amusement park, situated on a 4,600 square meter plot on the outskirts of Bangkok, adjacent to a canal. Visitors enter the site through a small alley originally called ‘Soi Wat Yai Rom’, known in Thai as Grandmother Umbrella Temple Lane. The Thai word ‘Rom’ is a homophone meaning both ‘umbrella’ and ‘shelter,’ which inspired the composite architectural language of the project. The coffee shop and amusement park share a drop-off zone connected to a pedestrian walkway, alongside 38 parking spaces and a separate restroom cabin.
The design process ran concurrently with the creation of a children’s book titled Stump and Friends, published by Saanaksorn and illustrated by Littleblack Studio. The goal was to create a dedicated space where children can bridge the real and imaginary worlds through learning, play, and exploration.
Small Stove: The coffee shop’s curved design abstracts the shape of an umbrella. The curved roofline flows seamlessly from the external canopy into the interior ceiling. Outdoor seating is nestled against the rear corner of a glass curtain wall, positioned beneath a large 4-meter-high canopy. This provides ample shade and encourages visitors to enjoy the outdoor space, which overlooks a spacious garden with tranquil waterways and banyan trees.
Elliptical skylights puncture the curved ceiling, allowing natural light to fill the interior and accentuate the hand-painted layered terrazzo floors. The main interior wall divides the seating and display areas from the service kitchen and baking room. The display counter is centrally located and aligned with three glass curtain walls, offering panoramic views from both indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Small Stump: Inspired by a hollow tree stump that provides temporary shelter to small animals, this building vividly portrays the story from the children’s book. It encourages the community to repair, fill, and assemble incomplete shelters. The structure features a central courtyard symbolizing growth and life. Drawing from natural organic shapes, the columns resemble simplified tree trunks, and the window openings mimic tree holes. These elements are combined with playful, irregular children’s line drawings. The curved curtain walls and rooflines have been simplified for ease of construction. Small windows, chairs, tables, and stools are carefully selected to suit the young users.
The courtyard connects three main areas—the reception, studio, and game room—allowing children to move freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. Parents can always keep an eye on their kids, as all rooms maintain visual connectivity. The amusement park aims to be a space where children can expand their imagination, engage their senses, and learn through play.
Project Drawings
△ General layout plan
△ First-floor plan of the Small Stove
△ Plan of Small Tree Pile
△ Sectional view of the Small Stove
△ Sectional view of the Small Stove
△ Sectional diagram of Small Tree Pile
Project Information
Architect: NITAPROW
Area: 606 m²
Project Year: 2023
Manufacturers: FAGCA, L&E, SKK
Lead Architects: Prow Puttorngul, Nita Yuvaboon
Design Team: Kuakunya Maneepairoj, Pittinun Jariyavilaskul
Landscape Consultant: Vacharin Wongsathitana
Playroom Cushion Consultant: Poom Puttorngul
Terrazzo Walls and Floors: Bunplok Wongdeeying
Wooden Flooring: Pisces Style Co., Ltd
Contractor: Adisorn Construction Co
Interior Contractor: Finterior
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
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