{"id":458494,"date":"2026-05-20T14:28:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/458494\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T14:28:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:28:11","slug":"stone-oven-bakery-reconfigures-1970s-auditorium-in-rural-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/458494\/","title":{"rendered":"stone-oven bakery reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tens Atelier revives 1970s rural auditorium as Stone-oven Bakery<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Cycle&amp;Cycle Stone-oven Bakery Restaurant by Tens Atelier is located in Shangwang Village, Fusheng Town, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/chinese-architecture\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">China<\/a>. The building was originally constructed in the 1970s as a rural auditorium, associated with Nixon\u2019s visit to China and carrying a specific historical context. In 2022, Cycle&amp;Cycle acquired the construction and usage rights, initiating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/renovation-architecture-and-design\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">renovation<\/a> and structural reconstruction, which was completed by the end of 2023. In early 2025, the program was redefined as a rural stone-oven <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/restaurant-interiors\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">bakery<\/a>, and Tens Atelier was commissioned to develop the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/interiors\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">interior<\/a> spatial design.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The site is shaped by a natural topography that rises to the west and descends toward the east. The eastern side opens toward views of the surrounding village, fields, and mountainous landscape. This orientation defines the main dining area, where full-height <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/glass-art-and-design\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">glass<\/a> curtain walls establish visual continuity between interior and exterior conditions, emphasizing daylight and landscape as spatial elements. The western and northern edges are bordered by bamboo groves, resulting in a more enclosed spatial condition. These areas are organized to accommodate supporting functions, including the back kitchen and restrooms. The overall layout is structured through an \u2018inner architecture\u2019 approach, where spatial organization responds directly to the environmental gradient and circulation logic of the site.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The spatial configuration maintains openness while distinguishing between interior program and exterior view corridors. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/marble-and-stone-design\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">stone<\/a> oven and the landscape beyond the glass facade operate as primary focal elements, establishing two opposing spatial anchors within the composition.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1191196 size-full lazyload\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"stone-oven bakery and restaurant reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china - 1\" width=\"818\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cycle-cycle-stone-oven-bakery-restaurant-tens-atelier-shangwang-china-designboom-2.jpg\"  data- loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>all images by half. half.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Material restraint defines Cycle&amp;Cycle bakery and restaurant<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Given the rural context, the design avoids an urbanized or highly refined expression. The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.tensatelier.cn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">designers<\/a> at Tens Atelier opt for material choices and construction methods that are aligned with a restrained approach, reflecting local conditions and available craftsmanship. The interior is conceived as a single open volume without partitions, requiring adaptation to accommodate the functional demands of a dining program.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The original vision emphasized a return of bread-making to its rural origins through a stone-oven bakery of high technical standard. Within the existing auditorium structure, this intention is expressed through a large-scale stone-fired oven as a central spatial element. The oven, initially specified at 2.7 meters in diameter and 2.2 meters in height, was later reconfigured in scale. Rather than positioning the space around the equipment, the equipment was integrated into the architecture. The oven was extended vertically to six meters, reaching the ceiling plane and establishing a dominant internal structure.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Budget constraints influenced several design decisions. The initial proposal to remove existing white paint and expose the underlying red brick was replaced with retention of the existing surface finish due to labor cost considerations. Similarly, proposed modifications to the roof and skylight system were reduced, preserving the original ceiling structure. These adjustments maintain the existing architectural condition while limiting intervention to essential spatial operations. Construction is carried out by a local team using traditional building techniques. This condition informed a design strategy focused on simplicity of assembly and constructability, ensuring alignment between design intent and execution capability.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"stone-oven bakery and restaurant reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china - 2\" width=\"818\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cyclecycle-stone-oven-bakery-restaurant-3-6a069c0031bef.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" lazyload\"\/><br \/>the bakery is located in Shangwang Village, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Material reuse and modular construction guide the renovation<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Material strategies initially explored the use of recycled timber, discarded village materials, and locally available bamboo. Due to cost and execution constraints, the approach was adjusted toward standardized materials combined with on-site processing. In the eastern dining area, prefabricated wooden pallet systems were initially considered but replaced with marine plywood, cut and assembled on site to reconstruct a similar modular logic.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Furniture and spatial components were developed through timber bracket modules and combined with cork elements to form movable seating units. These elements were designed for reusability and were later redeployed in other brand-related installations, extending their material lifecycle.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The project approach is based on minimal intervention, prioritizing the retention of existing spatial conditions and material character. Rather than introducing a new visual language, the design engages with the site through reduction and adaptation. The resulting space maintains continuity between architecture, landscape, and use, positioning the bakery as a functional extension of the original auditorium\u2019s public role within a rural context.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"stone-oven bakery and restaurant reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china - 3\" width=\"818\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cyclecycle-stone-oven-bakery-restaurant-2-6a069c0031b9c.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" lazyload\"\/><br \/>Cycle&amp;Cycle revives a rural auditorium built in the 1970s<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"stone-oven bakery and restaurant reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china - 4\" width=\"818\" height=\"735\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cyclecycle-stone-oven-bakery-restaurant-1-6a069c0031b0e.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" lazyload\"\/><br \/>the building reconfigures as a stone-oven bakery<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"stone-oven bakery and restaurant reconfigures 1970s auditorium in rural china - 5\" width=\"818\" height=\"745\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cyclecycle-stone-oven-bakery-restaurant-4-6a069c0031c3b.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" lazyload\"\/><br \/>the interior design is developed by Tens Atelier<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tens Atelier revives 1970s rural auditorium as Stone-oven Bakery \u00a0 Cycle&amp;Cycle Stone-oven Bakery Restaurant by Tens Atelier is&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":458495,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[23785,307,304,305,306,308,93,61,12283,60,48110,1014,17445],"class_list":["post-458494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-architecture-in-china","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-interiors","tag-ireland","tag-marble-and-stone-design","tag-renovation-and-restoration-architecture-and-design","tag-restaurant-and-cafe-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/458494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=458494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/458494\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/458495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=458494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=458494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=458494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}