d+a | Issue 116 • Jun/July 2020

47 between the three halls and bringing more light into the main hall.” The eastern and western perimeters of the church were transformed into the dining areas for a cafe. Yu used a chocolate-brown colour scheme for this café to provide a warm contrast to the imposing metal book display structure. The new programme also includes a showroom, reading room, lounge, baking room and bathroom. Since Sinan Books also plays host to events such as poetry readings and book review sessions, Yu redesigned the former altar area of the church to be a stage. “We split the cashier counter in the main hall into three movable tables. When there is an event, this counter is separated and its three parts are moved to the entrance area and side halls. “During events, the area that used to be the altar becomes the stage for the speaker. This way, the audience can sit in the main hall, while the side halls can continue to operate as a bookstore and rest area,” says Yu. An existing interior balcony was turned into a viewing deck, where customers can see how the steel bookshelf integrates with the old masonry of the church. To highlight the marriage between old and new, Yu added light strips on the walls, so customers can distinguish the old features of the building from the new. Wutopia Lab has done a miraculous transformation of this former church and the result is nothing short of divine. 8. The futuristic aesthetic of the metal bookcase is juxtaposed against the café’s warm and earthy colour scheme. 8