Camellia Tea House Café: reimagining the North American coffee shop

Abstract

The 21st Century North American coffee shop has commodified the experience of coffee and tea drinking on a global scale and has become symbolic of a globalized society. These spaces have become ubiquitous in cities worldwide, and have turned social drinking into a commodity, rather than a respite from everyday life as they were originally intended. This project proposes a teahouse as a response to the ubiquity of the North American coffee shop, while addressing changes in work culture, consumer trends, and cultural diversity in the city of Winnipeg. Tea and coffee are the two most widely consumed beverages on the planet and throughout history coffeehouses, coffee shops, tea shops, and teahouses have served as important gathering places for millions of people around the world. These third places — places outside the workplace and home, serve an important social function, and have responded to societal changes over time. This project delves into the shared history of these typologies, while also investigating their potential in fostering a sense of home and community for diaspora.