Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. But still, coffee is traded internationally more than tea. Top tea producing nations like China and India consume a vast majority of the teas produced within their country. So tea marketers still have to put lot of effort to promote this refreshing, stimulating, relaxing, healthy beverage against their biggest rivalry Coffee. As designboom had reported, designer Mr. Arun Prabhu has developed the tiniest tea stall in the world. This stall is just 1.5 sqft and it packs all the amenities of a café into a portable box that folds out. The project was created by the BILLBOARDS® collective, the studio founded by arun, for hyderabad-based café chain, CHAI KAHANI.

CHAIGAADI was developed for the context of india, where tea is the most popular drink and it’s commonly sold from street-side kiosks. The designers approached the project with the aim of reinventing the café typology and redefining the way Indians drink tea. The design is composed of a metal box that’s small enough to fit on the back of a motorcycle or scooter. when stationary, the box opens up to reveal all the necessary equipment for making tea as well as a tiny bar for customers. 

The stall includes a centralized boiler accompanied by a shelf for glasses, which serves as the protagonist of the design. at the other end, there’s a counter dedicated for snacks and there is a cash counter at front. other amenities include a provision for a fire extinguisher, a small table for customers to hang around and space for branding. it also has a provision for the stove to heat the chai and there is a separate detachable rack for both used and unused cups. for the café to be portable in its truest sense, the designers isolated a wastebin area and a projection that can hold the stools while on the move.

The creator also wanted to pay homage to the traditional way of drinking tea on the streets of india. to evoke the image of street vendors pouring chai from high in the air, the designers incorporated a tall metal flap for signage in place of the absent gesture. this signage space targets to greet onlookers just like the earthen-colored liquid being pulled and poured into small cups. accompanying the branding sign is a mirror to reflect the hustle and bustle of the streets and to encourage passers by to take another look at the stall. 

The boiler has been made using copper to recreate the style of traditional Iranian boilers. the other tea stall components are finished with metallic materials to resemble stainless steel.

One might look at this as a toy. But It’s an innovative design and this gives an understanding about Indian tea culture as well.

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References

1. Main Source: https://www.designboom.com/design/chaigaadi-tiny-1-5-sqft-tea-stall-that-fits-on-the-back-of-a-vespa-05-07-2021/