January 7, 2016

Fangsuo Commune: 2015 BoY Winner for Mixed Retail

“Imagine, after passing through a secret tunnel, finding a magnificent temple in a cave,” Chu Chih-Kang suggests. That’s what it’s like to ride a glass-enclosed escalator as it passes through a brushed-copper tube to this enchanted man-made cavern below. In fact, he explains, it was a nearby landmark, the Daci Temple, that gave his design its major metaphor. He thinks of the 59,000-square-foot space as an enormous Buddhist scripture vault. (Despite admitting that, spiritually, he identifies as more of a Taoist.) On a purely literal level, this is a concept store selling books, clothing, and accessories. Concrete columns, 37 expressive muscular sculptures, hold up the 30-foot ceiling. The materials palette also incorporates timeless sycamore and iron. Seating nooks throughout beckon customers of all ages. One section, complete with a tree house, is especially for children. 

Project Team: Jia Lu; Li He; Li Liu-Zhen.

> See more from the December 2015 issue of Interior Design

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