Beijing Greenhouse Café Uses Plants to Combat Urban Pollution

In smog-choked cities like Beijing, where clean air feels like a luxury, one café decided to fight back—not with filters, but with foliage. Tucked beside Beijing’s Lido Garden, Cafe 27 isn’t just serving coffee; it’s serving a concept: using living greenery to counteract the city’s persistent haze and bring a breath of nature indoors.

Cafe 27, housed in a repurposed glass greenhouse, won the Excellence Award for Sustainable Projects at the 2023 A&D Trophy Awards. Designed by Shanghai-based studio Four O Nine, the space uses over a hundred potted plants to create a visually and biologically refreshing environment—proving that even in polluted urban areas, a café can become an oasis of green.

From Wedding Venue to Eco-Café

The building originally served as a generic glass greenhouse, often used for weddings. Its pastel pink façade and conventional design were stripped away, replaced with raw materials like charcoal concrete and Douglas fir wood panels. Canadian architects Andrei Zerebecky and Lukasz Kos of Four O Nine reimagined the space entirely, focusing on material honesty and sensory engagement.

"The design was inspired by the café’s commitment to organic ingredients," said architect Lukasz Kos. "We wanted to evoke a sense of health and connection to nature, starting with how people perceive their surroundings."

Plants as Architecture

Inside Cafe 27, plants aren’t just decorations—they’re structural elements. The design team installed potted greenery along the interior and exterior walls, dividing the space vertically. The upper section resembles an indoor forest canopy, while the lower area forms a sheltered dining zone, creating a natural separation between zones without walls.

The floor plan further enhances the experience: a combination of terrazzo and white tiles delineates the lounge area, while the preparation zone features ink-toned flooring reminiscent of winter—a subtle seasonal transition that adds depth to the spatial narrative.

Sustainable Design in Polluted Cities

Cafe 27 is part of a broader trend in architecture where greenery is used to improve air quality and well-being in polluted urban environments. Similar to Stefano Boeri’s Vertical Forest skyscraper in Lausanne, which integrates trees and shrubs into high-rise design, Cafe 27 brings that concept indoors at a human scale. While it can’t purify the city’s air, it offers a micro-environment where visitors can enjoy cleaner, plant-filtered surroundings and a menu rooted in organic principles.

The Design Team Behind the Transformation

Shanghai-based Four O Nine, founded in 2011 by Canadians Andrei Zerebecky and Lukasz Kos, specializes in projects that merge sustainability with spatial storytelling. For Cafe 27, they removed the building’s original pink cladding and introduced natural materials like charcoal concrete and wood, transforming the once-generic structure into a serene, light-filled space that aligns with the café’s organic ethos.

"We wanted to create a space that stimulates a desire for healthy food and green architecture," Kos added. "The key was enhancing the diner’s awareness of their environment through texture, light, and greenery."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cafe 27 and where is it located?

Cafe 27 is a café in Beijing near Lido Garden that serves organic coffee and food. It’s located in a repurposed glass greenhouse that was redesigned to include plants and sustainable materials.

Did Cafe 27 win any design awards?

Yes, Cafe 27 won the Excellence Award for Sustainable Projects at the 2023 A&D Trophy Awards for its innovative use of greenery and natural materials in a polluted urban setting.

Who designed Cafe 27?

The café was designed by Shanghai-based architecture studio Four O Nine, founded by Canadian architects Andrei Zerebecky and Lukasz Kos. They focused on creating a sustainable, plant-filled environment.

How does Cafe 27 use plants in its design?

Over a hundred potted plants are used throughout the café, arranged to divide the space into forest-like upper areas and shaded dining zones below, creating a natural atmosphere without physical barriers.

What was the building before it became Cafe 27?

The space was originally a generic glass greenhouse often used for weddings. Its pink exterior was removed and replaced with more natural materials during the redesign.

How does the café’s design relate to air pollution?

While it doesn’t purify outdoor air, the dense indoor greenery creates a fresher, more natural micro-environment, offering a contrast to Beijing’s smog-filled streets and promoting well-being.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Plant-Filled Cafés

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