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    Linehouse creates greenhouse-informed food market in Shanghai

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    Architecture studio Linehouse has wrapped a food market in a Shanghai laneway neighbourhood around a central atrium informed by Victorian greenhouses.

    Named Foodie Social, the 2,000-square-metre food market is located within the Hong Shou Fang community – a residential area in Shanghai’s Putuo district known for its classic “longtang” laneway architecture.
    The food market is in a two-storey grey brick building in ShanghaiThe entrance to the two-storey market was framed by a double-height arrangement of stacked recycled red bricks, with a corten steel canopy added to provide shelter.
    The same recycled red bricks sourced from demolished houses in China can also be found on the interior walls, stacked to create three dimensional patterns.

    The glass pitched roof is lined with a gently curved metal trussA large glass door can be pulled open on warm days, with patterned paving from the laneway outside extending to the interior of the market, fully connecting the interior and exterior.

    The interior of the market was designed to resemble a greenhouse, with shops and cafe’s arrranged around a central, double-height atrium.
    The glass pitched roof above the atrium was lined with gently curved metal truss, in reference to Victorian greenhouses, with three large fans hanging from the metal truss to improve the air circulation.
    Some vendors are designed to be retractable to allow flexibilityA cafe in the atrium, which contains an olive tree planted into the ground, integrates a metal staircase that leads to the upper floor.
    A area describes as a “stage” is located by the staircase with a series of undulating balconies wrapped around the atrium on the upper floor.

    Overlapping concrete arches frame Bangkok shopping centre by Linehouse

    Various typologies of food vendors are arranged in the open atrium on the ground floor, some of which are designed to be retractable, allowing flexibility for different types of vendors as well as a large open event space to be formed at the centre.
    “This new typology brings together the local with more curated food offerings in a contemporary yet humble and sustainable way,” explained Linehouse’s Shanghai team who are responsible for the design.
    Recycled red bricks can be found both on the facade and interior wallsSmaller snack shops were positioned on the ground floor, while larger restaurants occupy the upper floor.
    Each stall was assembled from a kit of parts, so that the vendors are able to create their own signage and layout, but maintain a consistent material and lighting palette.
    Larger restaurants are located on the upper floorLinehouse is a Hong Kong and Shanghai-based architecture and interior design studio established in 2013 by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling. The duo won the emerging interior designer of the year category at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
    The studio has also recently designed the facade of a shopping centre in Bangkok and the interiors for a Hong Kong residence that respond to coastal views.
    The photography is by Wen Studio.
    Project credits:
    Design principal: Alex MokAssociate-in-charge: Cherngyu ChenDesign team: Yeling Guo, Fei Wang, Wang Jue, Norman Wang, Aiwen Shao, Mia Zhou, Yunbin Lou, Xiaoxi Chen, Tom Grannells

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      Yatofu fosters “relaxed holiday atmosphere” in Jianze showroom

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      Design studio Yatofu has completed a furniture showroom in Hangzhou, China, featuring a playful pastel colour palette and a display area housed on a steel-mesh platform.

      The 80-square-metre retail space belongs to Chinese design brand Jianze and forms part of an emerging cultural district in the city’s Liangzhe New Town.
      Jianze’s facade features a floor-to-ceiling opening with retractable glazed doorsYatofu set out to create a “relaxed holiday atmosphere” inside the showroom, which was influenced by the semi-public garden terraces found in European cities and features a full-height opening with retractable glazed doors that connect it with the outdoors.
      “This blurring of the boundary between the inside and outside allows passing pedestrians to easily observe the activities that take place within the showroom while maintaining visual continuity between the street level and interior space,” the studio explained.
      A sage green steel platform creates an additional display areaInside the space, Yatofu used contrasting colours and materials to portion up the floor area while introducing a whimsical touch to reflect Jianze’s products.

      One example is the decision to juxtapose glossy white floor tiles and rough pink micro-cement to create a visual separation between different zones.
      The space is divided by contrasting flooring”The playfulness of the flooring’s colour and configuration evokes a sense of joy and vibrancy, inviting visitors to linger and explore the brand and its products with wonder and curiosity,” said Yatofu.
      The delicate colour scheme also contrasts with the raw concrete ceiling, where exposed ducting and lighting tracks add to the industrial feel.
      The studio designed the showroom as a versatile space for eventsClose to the centre of the open room, a lightweight steel mezzanine provides additional space for displaying some of Jianze’s furniture. A spiral stair in one corner offers a fun and space-efficient way of accessing the platform.
      The raised enclosure is clad in a perforated steel mesh that allows its contents to remain visible as visitors walk around the space below.

      Yatofu applies festive hues to post office in Zhejiang

      The structure is painted a light shade of sage green that complements the pink micro-cement walls and floors, adding to the calming feel of the interior.
      Built-in cabinets and shelving made from pale birch wood add tone and texture to the space. The wood was also used to create a monolithic desk in one corner that functions as a service and payment area.
      Steel pegs form an adjustable display systemOn a nearby wall, rows of detachable stainless steel pegs form an adjustable display system that can be used to support various products.
      This use of flexible displays combined with the unconventional partitioning of space contributes to “an experience that exists somewhere between a pop-up and conventional showroom”, according to Yatofu.
      The mezzanine was wrapped in perforated metal meshThe versatile space can function both as a showroom and a place for hosting events such as exhibitions or markets, in particular thanks to its connection with the surrounding public realm.
      “The showroom invites its visitors to connect to the brand through a concept that communicates joy, ease, acceptance and a willingness to share in the appreciation of lifestyle and home,” the studio said.
      The platform was painted sage green to complement the pink walls and floorsYatofu was founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 2017 and now operates globally, working across disciplines including interior architecture, product and furniture design, visual communication and strategic design.
      The studio has previously converted a post office in Zhejiang into a boldly coloured gift shop and events space, and designed the interiors for a teahouse in Helsinki featuring a palette of brick, oak and oxidised steel.
      The photography is by Wen Studio.

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      Neri&Hu highlights simplicity and functionality at Shanghai art gallery

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      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has designed a contemporary art gallery for Ota Fine Arts in Shanghai with a focus on the “sublime beauty of the banal”.

      The gallery sits on the ground floor of a mixed-use tower at Rockbund, a development amidst the historical Bund in Shanghai along the Huangpu River, where a series of restored colonial art deco buildings are located.
      The entrance of the gallery features an oversized sliding door”The primary design challenge was to utilise the areas along the facade for both storage and display, blurring the distinction between functional and experiential space,” explained Neri&Hu.
      “This deepened threshold condition found on both facades defines the visitor’s arrival sequence and journey within.”
      The facade of the gallery is framed in aged steel to contrast the contemporary galleryThe facade of the gallery was framed in aged steel, with portions of solid metal and large glass panels arranged to form a window display for the artworks.

      Handmade ivory tiles line the inner side of the window in a subtle woven pattern, serving as a neutral backdrop for the art pieces.
      A warehouse-sized door can be fully open on the west facade for easy transport of large art piecesAn oversized sliding door marks the entry to the gallery on the eastern facade. When opened, the entrance of the gallery is revealed, with the outer sliding door framing the window display next to it.
      When closed, the door slides back to its original position and allows the full-height glazed window to be exposed.
      The western facade features a warehouse-sized door that can be fully opened using a custom-designed handle. This allows large artworks to be delivered directly from a designated parking area into the gallery.

      Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

      Neri&Hu also added fluted glass to the exterior, which glows in the evening to illuminate the adjacent Rockbund courtyard and add elegance to the functional facade.
      Inside the gallery, the 350 square-metre space is divided into two zones – a 150-square-metre main public viewing gallery and a private zone that houses VIP rooms and office space.
      The pared-back, white VIP rooms feature contemporary furniture pieces with custom-made white tiles and a stained oak floor and were designed to create a relaxing environment, in which the attention can be focused on the art itself.
      The interior of the gallery has a neutral and simplistic tone”The project’s understated material palette and overall conceptual underpinning lies in the juxtaposition of old and new, raw and refined, ordinary and spectacular,” said Neri&Hu.
      “We hope one can appreciate the sublime beauty of the banal, as much as the brilliance of contemporary art,” it added.
      Clean white rooms are intended to highlight the art pieceNeri&Hu was founded by architects Lyndon Neri and Rosanna Hu in 2004 in Shanghai.
      Other recent projects completed by the studio include the Sanya Wellness Retreat hotel on the Chinese island of Hainan and a fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Jacqueline MinSenior interior designer-in-charge: Phil WangDesign team: Rovi QuFF&E procurement: Design RepublicContractors: ETQ Project (Shanghai) Limited

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      Chongqing’s hidden factories inform interiors of Harmay beauty store

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      Conveyor belts and cog-like display stands appear within this beauty store in Chongqing, China, designed by AIM Architecture, which takes cues from the city’s underground network of factories.

      Harmay is located at the heart of Chongqing inside a former shopping mall, with its entrance set below street level.
      A skylight punctures the ceiling of Harmay’s Chongqing store”The store is located underneath a large plaza with a multitude of steps going down into it,” explained Shanghai practice AIM Architecture.
      “So, to work with this unique spatial setting, we explored typologies of underground structures within the local context.”
      Products are displayed on conveyor belts, creating a factory-like settingA particular source of inspiration was the hundreds of bomb shelters that can be found beneath Chongqing, which were used to hide from Japanese air raids during world war two but have now been widely converted into shops, eateries and small-scale factories

      To imitate the enclosed feeling of these shelters, the practice used gypsum panels to form a dropped ceiling within the store, simultaneously concealing its exposed service ducts.
      These boards were also used to clad the store’s facade and have all been rendered in a brick-red hue on the interior.
      Some display stands were made to look like generatorsStainless steel was used to create a series of industrial-style display fixtures, nodding to the factories that now inhabit some of the shelters.
      This includes a long conveyor belt that snakes throughout the store’s main room with small grey crates placed at intervals along its surface, each containing different beauty products.
      Other stands look similar to machine cogsIn the store’s smaller peripheral rooms, products are showcased on gridded steel shelves and stands that were designed to look like generators or oversized machinery cogs.
      Simple strip lights were hung from the ceiling and a skylight was installed so that shoppers can look upwards to the outdoors, further enhancing the feeling of being underground.
      Gridded steel shelves were also been added to the storeAIM Architecture has designed a number of locations for beauty retailer Harmay, including an apothecary-style store in Hong Kong, and another in Hangzhou that resembles a 1970s office.
      This branch in Chongqing is shortlisted in the large retail interior category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
      Here, it is competing against other projects such as the Super Seed shop by FOG Architecture, which features more than 100 moving display boxes, and Kooo Architects’ Freitag store, which occupies an old textile factory.
      The photography is by Wen Studio. 

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      RooMoo reuses distillery’s old whiskey barrels to decorate its bar

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      Chinese interiors studio RooMoo has used nearly 6,000 pieces of oak from discarded distillery barrels to adorn this whiskey bar in Shanghai.

      Laizhou Bar is located in the city’s buzzy Xuhui District and is an offshoot of Laizhou Distillery, a Chinese whiskey producer based out of Sichuan province.
      Wood offcuts from Laizhou Distillery’s whiskey barrels feature across the bar’s facadeThe distillery prides itself on reducing its environmental impact by using low-temperature saccharification machinery and collecting wastewater so it can be converted into biogas energy.
      So Shanghai-based studio RooMoo placed a similar emphasis on sustainability when designing the bar, where almost 6,000 pieces of wood from the distillery’s discarded oak barrels were reused as decoration.
      The offcuts were then used to construct a ringed structure on the bar’s ceiling”The bar imports the materials used in the distillery’s production process, creating a symbiosis between the two spaces,” said the studio.

      “Each dismantled barrel piece was different in terms of width, length and grain, so we classified them and applied them to different positions.”
      RooMoo assessed and classified all of the offcuts before useBarrel pieces are first seen on the bar’s facade, where they have been placed horizontally to create a lattice-like effect.
      The facade is otherwise only punctuated by a wide-set door and an expansive window, where barrels printed with the distillery’s logo are displayed.
      The bar’s slatted partition walls are also made from barrel offcutsOnce inside, guests step into a whiskey sampling area with a green marble tasting counter. Suspended directly above the space is a dramatic double-ringed sculpture crafted from barrel offcuts.
      More wooden barrel pieces were used to construct a curving, slatted partition in front of the main bar.
      A long seating banquette bends around the back of the room, accompanied by a series of black tables and leather chairs. There is also a huge light-up wall where liquor bottles are put on display.
      Black leather furnishings were incorporated throughout the main bar areaOn the ceiling here are the beginnings of another ringed sculpture, which will be completed as soon as the distillery has used up more barrels for the studio to use.
      “We made the ceiling structure beautiful enough to open the bar first,” explained the studio. “We are not hurrying to finish it, but following the production process and waiting for the wasted materials to be produced.”
      Off to the side of the main bar is a more private VIP tasting room. At its centre hangs a bespoke light crafted from the circular metal bands, which once held together the distillery barrels.
      The ceiling sculpture will be completed once the studio receives more offcutsLai Zhou Bar has made it to the shortlist in the sustainable interior category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
      The project is up against Edit restaurant by Elly Ward and Joe Morris, which is clad with salvaged terracotta tiles, and the Big Beauty store by Nina + Co, which is decked out in biomaterials like mycelium.

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      Dezeen Awards China 2023 Designers of the Year shortlist revealed

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      Dezeen has announced the Designers of the Year shortlist for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China, which includes Mario Tsai, OPEN Architecture and Ziin Life.

      The Designers of the Year award rewards the best emerging and established talent or studio across architecture, interiors and design, and recognises those whose innovative work has made a notable impact on the design, interiors and architecture industry in China.
      18 studios shortlisted across six categories
      The 18 shortlisted names, which are in the running for awards in six different Designers of the Year categories, include Beijing-based Vector Architects, shortlisted for architect of the year, Chengdu-based MUDA Architects, shortlisted for emerging interior designer of the year and Shanghai-based Studio Kae shortlisted for emerging designer of the year.
      Other shortlisted studios have designed projects such as a cultural centre with sweeping white-concrete geometries, a modular lighting system informed by scaffolding and a playful fashion boutique which references tailoring motifs.

      All Dezeen Awards China 2023 shortlisted projects revealed
      The Designers of the Year were nominated and shortlisted by Dezeen Awards China judges and Dezeen’s editorial team.
      This is the first edition of Dezeen Awards China, which is in partnership with Bentley Motors. This is the final shortlist revealed this week. The architecture, interiors and design shortlists were unveiled earlier this week.
      Above: Vector Architects Studio by Vector Architects. Photo by Vector Architects. Top: Shenzhen Fuqiang Elementary School by People’s Architecture Office. Photo by People’s Architecture OfficeAll shortlisted Designers of the Year are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards China website where you can find an image and more information about the designer.
      The winner of each category will be announced at a party in Shanghai in December.
      Read on for the full Designers of the Year shortlist:
      Shanfeng Academy by OPEN Architecture. Photo by Jonathan LeijonhufvudArchitect of the year
      › OPEN Architecture› People’s Architecture Office› Vector Architects
      Haikou Xixiu Park Visitor Center by MUDA Architects. Photo by Arch-Exist and Archi-translatorEmerging architect of the year
      › HCCH Studio› MUDA Architects› Roarc Renew Architects
      Ravine by A Work of Substance. Photo by A Work of SubstanceInterior designer of the year
      › AIM Architecture› A Work of Substance› Vermilion Zhou Design Group
      Som Land Hostel by RooMoo Design Studio. Photo by RooMoo Design StudioEmerging interior designer of the year
      › FOG Architecture› Office AIO› Roomoo Design Studio
      Building within building series by Ziin Life. Photo by Ziin LifeDesigner of the year
      › Mario Tsai› U+› Ziin Life
      DONG Series by Restudio. Photo by RestudioEmerging designer of the year
      › MMR Studio› Restudio› Studio KAE
      Dezeen Awards China 2023
      Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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      Dezeen Awards China 2023 interiors shortlist revealed

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      Dezeen has announced the 28-strong interiors shortlist for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China, which includes projects by FOG Architecture, UNStudio and Atelier d’More.

      The shortlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in six different interiors project categories, represent the most striking interiors recently created in the country.
      Among the projects, which are located in 14 different cities across China, is a Spanish restaurant in a former prison, a hostel on Shanghai’s Chongming Island that integrates local materials and an office space with mottled concrete walls and exposed steel frames.
      The shortlist also features a library with a sweeping wooden bookshelf and a clothing store informed by local markets.
      Dezeen Awards China 2023 shortlists revealed this week

      The shortlisted projects were scored by our interior jury which includes interior architect André Fu, Hong Kong-based Alex Mok, US interior designer Kelly Wearstler, Studioilse founder Ilse Crawford and Li Xiang of X+Living.
      This is the first edition of Dezeen Awards China, which is in partnership with Bentley Motors. The architecture shortlist was published on Monday and following the interiors shortlist, the projects shortlisted in the design and China designers of the year categories will be unveiled tomorrow and Thursday respectively.
      Above: An office building in Shenzhen’s Kexing Science and Technology Park is one of the shortlisted projects. Photo by Schran Images. Top: Other shortlisted projects include an eye hospital in Taiyuan, China.All shortlisted interiors are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards China website, where you can find more information about the project.
      The winner of each interiors project category will be announced at a party in Shanghai in December, with the six winners competing for the title of Chinese interiors project of the year, which is sponsored by Gaggenau.
      Read on for the full interiors shortlist:
      Light House by 323 Studio. Photo by 323 StudioHome interior
      › Light House, Zhengzhou, by 323 Studio› Illumined Freedom: An Artistic Home, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, by More Design Office› Z&S House, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, by Outlooker Design› Beijing West Road Private Residence, Shanghai, by Slow Studio› Muzi House, Shanghai, by Wuy Architects
      This is Zack! by Guò Bàn Ér. Photo by Boris ShiuWorkplace interior
      › NCDA Studio, Hong Kong, by NC Design & Architecture› Yeahka Headquarters Office, Shenzhen, by JSPA Design› Phantom Rings: S-Game Office, Beijing, by LYCS Architecture› Diningr:um, Shanghai, by Pronounced Design› This is Zack!, Beijing, by Guò Bàn Ér
      Book Mountain Store by Ray&Emilio Studio. Photo by Ray&Emilio StudioRetail interior
      › To Summer Beijing Flagship Store, Beijing, by FOG Architecture› FREITAG Store Shanghai, Shanghai, by Kooo Architects› ZUCZUG Bazaar, Xiamen, by Sò Studio› Book Mountain Bookstore, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, by Ray&Emilio Studio
      Self Revealing by Studio X4. Photo courtesy of Studio X4Health and wellbeing interior
      › FlySolo Rehabilitation Medical Centre, Beijing, by UNStudio› Self Revealing, Taipei, by StudioX4› Big Eyes Panda Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, by Karv One Design› BoF hair salon, Zhengzhou, by Name Lab
      Twosome Inn by Atelier d’More. Photo by Atelier d’MoreHotel and short-stay interior
      › Cloud Retreat Hotel, Ganzhou, by Shanghai Cocoon Studio› Sunac Mogan Valley Zhulinli Demonstration Area, Deqing, Yunnan, by WJ Studio› The Tree and Villa, Dali, Yunnan, by Fusion Design & Architecture› Som Land Hostel, Chongming Island, Shanghai, by RooMoo Design Studio› Twosome Inn, Beijing, by Atelier d’More
      B3 by RooMoo Design Studio. Photo by RooMoo Design StudioRestaurant and bar interior
      › B3, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, by RooMoo Design Studio› Lai Zhou Bar, Shanghai, by RooMoo Design Studio› Artifact Bar, Hong Kong, by NC Design & Architecture› Agora, Hong Kong, by Collective› Biiird Yakitori, Guangdong, by Biger Club Design
      Dezeen Awards China 2023
      Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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      Dezeen Awards China 2023 architecture shortlist revealed

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      Dezeen has announced the 34-strong architecture shortlist for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China, which includes buildings by Trace Architecture Office, AIM Architecture and Thomas Heatherwick.

      The shortlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in seven different architecture project categories, represent the best buildings recently created in the country.
      Among the projects, which are located in 21 different cities across China, is a viewing tower at a panda sanctuary, the 1000 Trees shopping centre in Shanghai by UK-based Heatherwick Studio and an art museum in Tibet.
      The shortlist also features an abandoned wooden home that was renovated with 3D-printed walls and the Dance of Light skyscraper by Aedas.
      Dezeen Awards China 2023 shortlists revealed this week

      The shortlisted projects were selected by a jury that includes architects Ole Scheeran, Ma Yansong, Rossana Hu, Garett Hwang and Ting Yu.
      This is the first edition of Dezeen Awards China, which is in partnership with Bentley Motors. Following the architecture shortlist, the projects shortlisted in the design, interiors and China designers of the year categories will be unveiled throughout the week.
      Above: An art museum in Tibet is one of the shortlisted projects. Photo courtesy of And Studio. Top: Other shortlisted projects include the renovation of a 1920s building in ShanghaiAll shortlisted buildings are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards China website, where you can find more information about the project.
      The winner of each architecture project category will be announced at a party in Shanghai in December, with the seven winners competing for the title of Chinese architecture project of the year, which is sponsored by The Dalmore.
      Read on for the full architecture shortlist:
      Cactus House by Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research Practice. Photo courtesy of Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research PracticeResidential project 
      › Cactus House, Kunming, Yunnan, by Shi·Ye Architecture Design & Research Practice› House M001, Shunyi, Beijing, by Guò Bàn Ér› Erya Villa, Foshan, Guangdong, by Touchstone Interior Design› Hotel on Tile, Fangshan, Beijing, by Beijing Jimei Survey and Design› Mi Luo City Duan Wu Community Villager Relocating Project, Miluo, Hunan, by Zaozuo Architecture Studio
      O · Power Cultural and Art Centre by Shenzhen Huahui Design. Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Huahui DesignCultural project
      › O · Power Cultural and Art Centre, Nanshan, Shenzhen, by Shenzhen Huahui Design› Tibetan Thangka Art Museum, Lhasa, Tibet, by And Studio› Houhu·Contemporary Architecture Cultural Center, Changsha, Hunan, by WCY Regional Studio› Serrangel, Foshan, Guangdong, by ​​Ce-St Design Studio
      Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group. Image courtesy of UDGCivic project
      › Chengdu Tianfu City Planning Hall, Tianfu, Chendu, by And Studio› Shanghai Library East, Pudong, Shanghai, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen› Panda Tower, Chengdu, Sichuan, by Shanghai United Design Group› Yiwu Chian Wutong Yard, Jinhua, Zhejiang, by All Studio› Haikou Jiangdong Huandao Experimental School, Haikou, Hainan, by Trace Architecture Office
      Traditional House of the Future by The University of Hong Kong. Photo courtesy of The University of Hong KongHeritage project
      › The Vanished Garden, Datong, Shanxi, by XJ Design Agency› Somekh Building Renovation, Shanghai, by Shisuo design› Yan Shan Art Museum, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, by Evolve Design› Traditional House of the Future, Guizhou, by The University of Hong Kong› Ruins Cave Garden, Dali, Yunnan, by ArConnect
      NIO Delivery Center by Kokaistudios, Photo by RawVision StudioWorkplace project
      › NIO Delivery Center, Jiading, Shanghai, by Kokaistudios› Xixi Campus Phase 4 of a Zhejiang-Based Large Internet Company, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, by NBBJ› URBREW Craft Beer Mashing Workshop, Handan, Hebei, by Name Lab› Dance of Light Skyscraper Project, Chongqing, by Aedas› Hainan Energy Trading Building, Haikou, Hainan, by Kris Yao| Artech ​​
      Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Zone Phase I by RSHP, Image courtesy of RSHPMixed-use project
      › Taikoo Li Qiantan, Shanghai, by 5+Design› Fairy Li (Chaichanglong Historic Area Urban Regeneration and Redevelopment), Shaoxing, Zhejiang, by SpActrum› Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Zone Phase I, Shenzhen, Guangdong, by RSHP› HARMAY FANG, Shanghai, by AIM Architecture› 1000 Trees Phase 1, Shanghai, by Heatherwick Studio
      Miwo Hotel by AT Design. Photo courtesy of AT DesignHospitality project
      › Sleeping Lab Hotel, Beijing, by Atelier d’More› Lost Villa in Simianshan, Chongqing, Kong_Architects› JII Chuan, Chongqing, by VARI Design› Moganshan B&B, Huzhou, Zhejiang, by SZ-Architecture› Miwo Hotel, Lishui, by AT Design
      Dezeen Awards China 2023
      Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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      RooMoo integrates local materials and traditions into Som Land Hostel near Shanghai

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      Thatched roofs, recycled bricks and bundles of sticks were used to construct this hostel on Shanghai’s Chongming Island, which Chinese studio RooMoo has organised around two existing buildings.

      The site is surrounded by water and forests, creating a secluded rural environment on the island that’s located across the Yangtze River estuary from the vast metropolitan area.
      RooMoo completely transformed two existing buildings using materials found on-siteThe Som Land hostel was designed to integrate with this natural landscape and respect the local customs and traditions.
      “The resort’s name Som Land comes from the traditional Chinese colour, the warm green between the mottled gaps in the tree shadows, representing a state of relaxation and slow-paced life,” said Shanghai-based RooMoo.
      “In terms of overall space arrangement and planning, Som Land focuses on nature and humanistic traditions.”

      The buildings are clad using recycled bricks in a pattern based on a local clothThe architects revived two old houses on the site, manipulating their existing forms and layouts to meet the new requirements while adhering to planning restrictions.
      The larger two-storey structure that acts as the accommodation block was overhauled and extended to include an additional floor – now totalling 552 square metres.
      In the larger of the two buildings, the staircase was moved to the north side”Because the original building has problems, it is necessary to adjust the old and inappropriate space layout and add new design strategies to provide reconstruction to match the new requirements,” said RooMoo.
      While its perimeter footprint remained the same, the building was transformed both internally and externally.
      The rooms are decorated with neutral tones and natural materialsPlanning codes limited the height of the eaves. So to provide extra space, RooMoo steepened the pitch of the roof so that the extra storey could tuck inside.
      Large dormer windows create even more space on this upper floor, while balconies were added to the lower levels to extend these, too.
      Wood furniture and woven textiles connect the interiors to the rural settingThe staircase was also relocated to the north of the building, allowing three guest rooms per floor to fan around the glass-topped circulation core.
      Each room has its own bathroom facilities, and some suites include a bathtub that overlooks the balcony and the forest beyond.

      He Wei adds portable plastic rooms to youth hostel in a converted Chinese house

      Neutral tones and natural materials decorate the interiors, which feature wooden bed frames, tables and chairs, plus woven textiles and lighting.
      Tree branches gathered from the site are framed into panels that cover parts of the ceilings in both the rooms and corridors, while bamboo poles partition the staircase flights.
      The second building was extended on the west side with a glazed addition”The guests staying can feel the space environment of non-machine standardised production, so most of our material selection is from nature and the local site,” said RooMoo.
      The second single-storey building that was originally a tool shed was also completely rethought, becoming a reception and communal space where crumbling walls and a tiled roof once stood.
      This building is used as the reception and a communal space for guestsAs with the larger structure, the roof pitch was increased to its maximum allowed height and its boundary was also pushed outward.
      The top of its gabled form was cut off and the flat plane turned into a window to allow plenty of natural light into the interior.
      A central brick fireplace divides the open spaceOn the west side, a wood-framed glass addition is extruded from the building’s profile to face the water.
      Inside, thin strips of wood swoop down and curve outward from the skylight, helping to distribute the light.
      A variety of local products are displayed in the reception buildingA curvaceous brick fireplace and chimney stack are positioned in the centre of the open room to separate the reception area from a lounge and dining space.
      Both buildings were re-clad in bricks recycled from the original structures, in a pattern based on local cloth that casts shadows across the facades.
      Strips of wood curve from the ceiling to funnel in sun from the skylightThatched roofs were also added as a nod to the region’s historic building traditions. “In our practice, we tried to recall the traditional way of manual binding to build a roof of reed poles,” said RooMoo.
      “Therefore, we hope to bring out the first impression of the sustainable concept and practice of earth materials returning to nature,” the studio added.
      “The design treatment is to provide hotel guests with a warm and relaxing vacation with a deeper understanding of the local style of the environment.”
      The top of the gabled roof is cut off and covered in glassSom Land is longlisted in the hotel and short-stay interior category for the 2023 Dezeen Awards, becoming the latest hostel in China to receive recognition from the program.
      Previously, the Capsule hostel and bookstore by Atelier Tao+C in a small rural village was named interiors project of the year at the 2020 Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Wen Studio.
      Project credits:
      Design team: RooMooConstruction: Shanghai Guixiang Decoration EngineeringLighting consultant: Shanghai Yiqu Laite Lighting Industry

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