Chapter I: The Ancient Brew

The global coffee industry often obscures the inequalities that exist, particularly in the Global South, where coffee production is labor-intensive and often underpaid. The image of sustainability contrasts sharply with the exploitation and environmental degradation hidden from the consumer’s view.

Melbourne, renowned as the coffee capital of the world, takes pride in its vibrant coffee culture and its many offshoots. Yet, this culture has also led to extremes, as evidenced by the city’s most expensive cup of coffee, sold at Proud Mary café for 150 AUD per cup . This phenomenon highlights how the values embodied by coffee culture—excessive refinement and waste—are increasingly distant from its humble origins. Historically, coffee has deep roots in the Arab world, where it was revered as a sacred drink with significant cultural value. This origin story starkly contrasts with the current state of coffee culture, offering a compelling backdrop for critique.
This first chapter serves as the foundation for this satirical manifesto, using a series of drawings, comics, and designs to explore how a simple coffee bean has come to represent different eras and values over time. The project spans the past, present, and future, reflecting on how coffee has evolved from a sacred drink to a symbol of luxury and excess.

This first chapter also sets the stage for the imagined architectural concept of an underground coffee palace in Melbourne’s Fitzroy neighborhood, a renowned hub of coffee culture. This palace is a starting point for further architectural explorations in the subsequent chapters of the series, inviting deeper reflection on the cultural and social implications of coffee.

This project was completed in the summer of 2021 at the University of Melbourne, in collaboration with my partner and close friend Pengcheng Yang, under the guidance of Laura Martires.

This article presents the first phase of the project. For the second and third phases, please refer to the following links:

Chapter II: The Vanity Palace

Chapter III: The Undercurrents

The first-chapter presentation drawing received a Commended Entry in the 2022 Architizer One Drawing Challenge

The final-chapter presentation drawing was awarded the Highly Commended Award in the 2024 Archisource Digital Drafting competition.