茶馆位于上海市九江路，外滩边上的老楼里，老楼原来是民国的证券大厦。茶馆掌柜的找我，说想开一个新式茶馆，只有两点要求：一是想服务周边，怕做成网红给人带来压力，二是想让人坐下来，觉得喝茶是件简单轻松的事情。 在我内心，卖茶空间有两种原型，一种是马路边的茶摊，一辆小车推着煮茶的炉子，三五张布撑起遮蔽，摆上四方桌和条凳，赶集的渴了，坐下就能喝口热茶，吹会凉风喘口气；另一种是早年间的茶馆，老房子里约几个朋友，沏上一壶茶配一盘点心，听戏聊天，跑堂的来来往往，也好不热闹。这两种原型成为设计的起点，希望设计也能给人带来轻松惬意的氛围感受。 区别于都市精致的完成面艺术，茶馆的设计策略更像小市民的小智慧。支起钢架，挂上金属帘子，绑上灯具，铺些地砖，打几个柜子，拼几张桌椅，摆些绿植，一个有些原生的茶摊就以未完成的姿态完成了。茶馆像一个陌生的来者，塞进了原建筑里。这些看似简单粗暴的设计，却形成了一种独特的轻松气息，坐在帘下，大家可以放下都市人的架子，喝茶聊天。 在这一类的第三空间中，一方面，店员希望一目了然，照顾到所有的顾客，顾客希望自己被照看到，故而希望自己在一个大空间里；另一方面，顾客又希望保有一定的私密性，与他人分隔开。这种矛盾一直拉扯着我们的设计，我们将帘子挂下来，做成屏风，若有若无的遮挡着视线，在朦朦胧胧中找寻一种开与合之间的平衡，竟也能找到园林的通幽观感。
Gan Wei Teahouse is located on Jiujiang Road in Shanghai, inside an old building near the Bund, which used to be the Securities Building of the Republican era. Once the client approached me, saying that he wanted to set up a brand-new type of teahouse with two specific requirements: firstly, the teahouse aims at catering to the surrounding area instead of becoming an internet sensation that might bring unnecessary pressure to potential customers; secondly, the teahouse should attract people to come in and take a seat, in the meantime make them realize that drinking tea is such a relaxing activity. In my mind, there are two prototypes for teahouse spaces. One is a tea stall set by the roadside, of which contains a stove inside a small cart for boiling tea, a few pieces of cloth propped up for shade, and several square tables and benches beneath it. People who are thirsty during a fair can take a seat there, having a sip of hot tea and getting refreshed. The other type is the teahouse from earlier years, where friends gather together, served a pot of tea with refreshments, chatting and enjoying operas, waiters bustling about, offering a lively atmosphere. These two prototypes became the starting point of the design. We hope that the project could also spread an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Different from the sophisticated finishing of the city, design strategy of the teahouse is more like the wisdom of common people. Erecting steel frames, hanging metal curtains, attaching light fixtures, laying tiles, setting up cabinets, arranging tables and chairs, placing some green plants – a somewhat primitive tea stall is completed in an unfinished manner. The new teahouse, like a stranger, has been inserted into the original building. These seemingly simple designs form a unique and relaxing atmosphere. Sitting under the curtains, people can get off their urbanite pretenses, enjoying tea along with conversation. In such type of third space, on one hand, the staff wants to have a clear view of the whole space so that all the customers can be accommodated, while customers themselves want to be seen as well, hence they prefer a large open space. On the other hand, customers also require certain level of privacy to separate themselves from others. Such contradiction has been a constant struggle during the design process. Therefore, we hung the metal curtains as screens to faintly block the sight while achieving the balance between opening and closing in a hazy manner. Unexpectedly, we find the ambience of a secluded garden through this manner.