Excerpt: Shang XIA Shenzhen Bay Rail In Boutique by Say Architects is a project that seeks to capture a romantically balanced expression between tradition and innovation. The architects, following the brand’s philosophy, have skillfully combined traditional cultural heritage crafts like bamboo weaving, wickerwork, embroidery, ceramics, and paper art, blending them harmoniously with modern language.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] SHANG XIA consistently embraces contemporary innovative design, crafting a distinctive and culturally rich lifestyle. While emphasizing the inheritance of craftsmanship and ingenuity, it also excels in innovative breakthroughs. Previously, the spatial design was crafted by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Now, for the first time, the brand collaborates with a Chinese architectural design team to launch its inaugural flagship store with a new image.
Say architects aspires to narrate, within the context of traditional culture, an Eastern aesthetic of elegance and simplicity for SHANG XIA Shenzhen Bay Rail In Boutique. This interpretation aims to capture a romantically balanced expression between tradition and innovation.
In Chinese, “上” (shàng) and “下” (xià), as contrasting antonyms, seem to exhibit a characteristic of interconnectedness between characters, embodying subtle philosophical reflections within the brand’s language. If this extends to the physical space, does it similarly possess elements of opposition and unity? say architects envisions the two levels as concealed yet open, flat yet dense, reserved yet expressive “symmetrical” spaces. The “central axis” serves as a freer state within the restrained architectural framework, implying that the space is a contradictory yet balanced existence.
The first floor is composed of a tea bar, tea product gift boxes, and a ready-to-wear clothing area. The surface of the tea bar undergoes treatment with three different textures, creating a rugged yet delicate natural feel through the splicing of original stones. The upper part, resembling the hats worn by ancient knights, exudes a chivalrous spirit.The tea-drinking area unfolds around the tea bar, with one section delineated by Beijing bricks, creating a more secluded tea gathering point. Another section features a tea table carved from natural stones, seamlessly connecting the interior and exterior spaces.
Upon arriving at the tea product gift box area, the central display platform draws inspiration from the brand’s bamboo-woven porcelain tea sets. The pliable and boneless bamboo threads are intricately connected, echoing the elaborate three-dimensional weaving craft of the products.The presentation of the ready-to-wear clothing area is more gentle. The wall and floor are traditionally arranged in a unified herringbone pattern. Embroidery on the wall emits a subtle glow, resembling delicate roof tiles, covering the clothing rack components and exuding a warm bluish-green color of shadowy glaze.
If the former is a straightforward and reserved narrative, then the “central axis” leading to the second floor is expressive. The bamboo art breaks the balance with an “outstretched arm” gesture. It consolidates various functional areas in form, visually creating a certain impact through scale. Its simple lines and graceful curves present a tranquil continuity, guiding the flow of space. The dynamic interweaving serves not only as a conveyance of artistic conception but also as an evolution within the context of traditional cultural threads.
The furniture showroom on the second floor is constructed with embroidered wall surfaces, with rice paper screens softly partitioning the space. Among the most iconic pieces of SHANG XIA’s carbon fiber chairs, the slender and light Ming-style official hat chair is a collision of tradition and innovation, featuring lively colors that bring more imagination to the blank space.
Say architects adhering to the brand’s diverse philosophy, has innovatively applied traditional intangible cultural heritage crafts such as bamboo weaving, wickerwork, embroidery, ceramics, and paper art. Amidst the noise of the world, it skillfully avoids distractions and narrates with a harmonious blend of traditional and modern language. Every corner here is filled with stories, and each piece of work has its own voice.
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