Whale-Shaped Café

The idea

What if a café could feel like part of the ocean it looks out on? This concept takes the form of a whale and turns it into a place to gather. Set on a tropical waterfront, the building rises from the rocks like a whale breaching the surface: its body becomes a curved, sheltering hall, its tail rises behind as a sculptural landmark, and its open mouth becomes a welcoming entrance.

The process

The design grew through a series of hand sketches. A simple line drawing of a whale is gradually split, opened and restructured: the lower body becomes a hull-like base, and the ribcage becomes a lattice roof of bamboo and timber. The concept was then modeled in SketchUp and 3ds Max and visualized in Corona, with AI-assisted refinement used to explore atmosphere, planting and light during concept development.

The result

The images present a café that is both a landmark and a shelter: natural materials, filtered light and open views to the water. As a concept, the project shows how biomimicry can give hospitality architecture a strong identity while using sustainable, locally familiar materials.