Erma Pub Taikoo Li

Erma is a Sichuan dialect, which means being slightly drunk. It is the perfect name for the pub, revealing a mixed sense of slight sorrows, laughter, and enjoyment at night.

The song Chengdu sung by Zhao Lei has described the typical night life in Chengdu.

As a pioneering brand of pub, Erma Pub cooperated with HDC Design Work to remodel this old business for the future. At the same time, its excellent location in the Taikoo Li business circle and its relationship with Daci Temple Tea House, bring a huge challenge to the design team.

The original detached building and mechanically repeated window opening method are the main problems of design, and the red bricks symbolizing the brand of Erma need to be retained.

Adjacent to a strange box building, the building form has been re-outlined though a new window form based on searching for line design.

The one-step projecting balcony is an exploration on the operation mode, and it is also a highlight of design innovation, as well as an extended space for consumption, which is a potential popular spot for web celebrity.

The classical match of plain red brick with dark metal, the multi-level lines, and geometrically folded balcony, make the whole facade meet the future trend in slightly retro style.

As the core of the pub, the bar counter is set in the L-shaped corner on the ground floor, where four big funnel type lanterns are over the bar, expressing the artistic conception of martial arts chivalry. A beam of pink collided with green, forming the visual system of the entire project.

The enclosed and non-linear layout emphasizes that even when sitting closely, the guests can gather for different topics. The division of space is inspired by the traditional Chinese window lattices, which create geometrical lines unique to Erma when repeatedly overlapped, ambiguously connecting the whole area.

The modern metal lanterns light up the youthful vigour in every corner. In a relaxed modern space, metal and lines interweave to create a tipsy night in Chengdu.

Design: HDC Design
Design Team: Jiajun Tang, Rene LIU
Photography: He Chuan