Donut of Curiosity is an artisanal donut shop opened by Indonesian investment group 20/WOL in Jakarta’s ASHTA District 8, featuring a sculptural oversized kneaded-dough form made in precast concrete. The store was designed by Jakarta twin brothers Rama and Romy Dwiwahyu, and its open-plan layout includes a single peak ordering hole and an illuminated stretch ceiling that frames the minimalist interior.
The menu lists ten donuts with both sweet and savory toppings and fillings, pairing playful flavors with the restrained concrete aesthetic. For consumers, the concept blends tactile architecture with accessible indulgence, creating an Instagram-ready destination that foregrounds craft pastry within a bold, gallery-like setting and reflects Jakarta’s rising appetite for experiential, design-forward retail.
Image Credit: 20/WOL
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Experiential Retail Dining
- Blending tactile architectural features with consumable products creates opportunities for destinations that function as both gallery-like environments and foodservice experiences.
- Sculptural Concrete Aesthetics
- Oversized precast concrete forms used as focal elements signal potential for designers to redefine brand identity through durable, art-forward building components.
- Playful Savory-sweet Pairings
- Combining unconventional savory fillings with traditional pastry formats points to new flavor categories that shift consumer expectations around indulgence.
Where This Applies
- Artisanal Foodservice
- Small-batch pastry shops that emphasize craft and visual storytelling can disrupt quick-service norms by prioritizing sensory-rich, Instagram-ready offerings.
- Retail Real Estate and Placemaking
- Landlords and developers embedding bespoke architectural statements into retail units may create higher-value, experience-driven tenancy models.
- Hospitality and Leisure Design
- Hotels and entertainment venues incorporating sculptural F&B concepts can transform onsite dining into headline guest experiences that elevate overall property branding.
