MAYBUSH — Baicai Design

MAYBUSH

MAYBUSH is a fusion bistro located in Shenyang, situated in the vibrant Xita district, known for its rich culinary scene. Through meticulous collaboration between the design team, culinary team, and operators, the goal was to create a welcoming space that combines natural wood tones with metallic accents, resulting in a warm environment that embodies professionalism in dining.

Project Info:

Status: built, 2024
Area: 256 sqm
Client: MAYBUSH
Location: Shenyang
Photography: Topia Vision

The bistro's positioning leans toward simplicity and tranquility, focusing attention on the dishes themselves. In the design process, we emphasized a restrained, objective, and minimalist approach to spatial materials.

Located on the second floor of a newly constructed shopping mall. Our strategy placed the kitchen and functional areas as a "stage" in the central zone, while the surrounding areas were designated for circulation and guest seating, ensuring that the glass walls and views are fully utilized for the diners' benefit.

An open kitchen serves as the visual centerpiece of the space, offering a full view of the preparation and cooking process from both the interior and the outdoor terrace. This transparency highlights the artistry of cooking while conveying the chefs' confidence, expertise, and openness. It fosters a direct connection between chefs and diners, creating an interactive and shared experience.

The north-facing folding windows can be fully opened to seamlessly connect the indoor and outdoor areas. The outdoor design extends the interior aesthetic, creating a unified spatial language. The kitchen can also open to the exterior, transforming into a bar on pleasant summer evenings, serving guests on the terrace.

At night, the dining area is illuminated with soft, ambient lighting, while the kitchen remains brightly lit, emphasizing its professional nature. Guests can enjoy views of the bustling city traffic through the floor-to-ceiling windows, while the chefs' activity within the kitchen becomes a lively visual element of the space.

MAYBUSH provides a comfortable dining environment that embodies the brand's spirit of hospitality. By breaking the boundary between diners and chefs, the bistro fosters a sense of community and creates a space for sharing food and connections.

About

Baicai Design is a multidisciplinary design practice based in New York and Shenyang, working across architecture, interiors, exhibitions, and spatial design. Its practice spans different geographies, scales, and cultural contexts.

Founded by Kaiwen Zhao, Baicai is shaped by his interdisciplinary background in design and architecture. Zhao studied Industrial Design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Architecture at the Yale School of Architecture. He currently teaches in the Department of Industrial Design at RISD, and has previously taught at the University of Colorado Denver, lectured at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and served as a guest critic at Syracuse University.

Baicai approaches space beyond the conventional boundaries of interior design, bringing together architectural and product design thinking to address spatial questions. Through different scales of intervention, we explore the relationships between space, objects, and human behavior.

New York:
540 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY, 11201

Shenyang:
A07International Software Park, Shenyang, China

baicaidesignoffice@gmail.com

Awards

FRAME Wellness Space of the year Shortlisted
2026

Paris Design Awards Winner
2026

MUSE Design Awards Gold Winner
2026

Dezeen China Rising Firm of the Year
2025

POSITION Award China Best 100 Young Architect
2024

Guangzhou Design Week 40 Under 40
2024

AD China 100 YOUNG
2022-2024

Architizer Best Young Interior Design Firm Special Mention
2024

Forbes China 30 Under 30
2023

FRAME Small Residential of the year Shortlisted
2023

FRAME Award Best Emerging Designer Nominee
2023

APIDA Design Award Excellence Award
2023

FRAME Pop-up Store of the Year
2022

FRAME Window Display of the Year Shortlisted
2022

WYDF TOP 100 Designer
2022

Dezeen Award Shortlisted
2022

Architecture Masterprize Best of The Bests
2022

AD China 100 YOUNG
2020-2022

Architecture Masterprize Honorable Mention
2022

KUKAN Design Award Shortlisted
2022

DNA Award Winner in Workplace Design
2022

DNA Award Honorable Mention in Workplace Design
2022

DNA Award Honorable Mention in Showroom Design
2022

K-Design Award Winner
2022

Novum Design Award Gold Award
2022

Novum Design Award Silver Award
2022

IDA Design Award Honorable Mention
2022

FRAME Best of the Month
2022 April

Design for Asia Award Bronx Award
2021

Design for Asia Award Excellence Award
2021

IDEA Design Award Finalist
2021

Golden Pin Design Award Winner
2021

Golden Pin Design Award Honorable Mention
2022

Press

Baicai Design’s work has received international media coverage across architecture, design, fashion, and culture. The studio has been featured in publications including Gestalten, INTERIORS, AD China, FRAME, Interior Design China, My Home, and id+c, alongside leading global platforms such as Dezeen, Leibal, Architizer, Divisare, Vogue, ELLE China, Yatzer, Cosmopolitan, gooood, Archilovers, Designverse, and Archello.