Interview about Serenity Multifunctional Cultural Venue, winner of the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award 2025
This space merges a museum and digital library, embodying serenity and Sinology. The entrance features a marble texture wall and tall windows that create a play of light and shadow. Three volumes surround a central courtyard, distinguishing paths for visitors and researchers. Sunlit areas connect various spaces, while block-like walls create immersive environments. A staircase leads to the second floor with an audiovisual space and lounge. Stacked stone structures at the core reflect the collection's depth and connect both floors, with an open courtyard view fostering contemplation.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design Details"Serenity" aims to create a tranquil environment that integrates the functions of a museum with a global digital library of Sinology, infused with metaphysical philosophical thinking. The design is inspired by the calligrapher Tong Yang-Tze and architect Kris Yao. Through the interplay of light and shadow, materials, and spatial rhythm, the project transforms three classic brushstroke techniques from Chinese calligraphy—dense ink, shading, and flying white—interpreting their strength and rhythm to convey the spiritual essence of the space. “Dense ink” is embodied through the use of stacked granite in the archive, evoking a grounded, solid presence. “Shading” finds form in the flowing, cloud-like veining of Carrara white marble on the exhibition hall’s main wall, as well as in the softly layered ceiling grids that diffuse light and create atmospheric depth. “Flying white,” characterized by intentional lightness and emptiness, inspires the design of the atrium and second-floor open areas, where voids invite natural light to animate the shifting balance between openness and enclosure. By abstracting these calligraphic gestures into spatial language, the project offers more than a visual experience—it becomes a contemplative journey. The interplay of solidity and subtlety, fullness and absence, material and immaterial, reflects both aesthetic intention and philosophical depth. The result is a space that transcends conventional boundaries, resonating with resilience, serenity, and transcendence.
Balancing the historical grandeur of the Forbidden City's ancient lecture halls with contemporary sustainability required a synthesis of form and ideology. We embraced traditional Eastern aesthetics—such as timber textures, bronze panels, and whitewashed walls—while ensuring that every design element met modern green building standards. For instance, the wood-like patterns on the ceiling evoke classical architecture yet integrate seamlessly with advanced acoustic panels and intelligent lighting systems. The furniture and spatial layout were designed to be modular and flexible, supporting contemporary functions without compromising cultural ambiance. By grounding every design decision in both historical reverence and ecological mindfulness, we preserved authenticity while creating a space that is future-ready.
The central courtyard was conceived as the “breathing heart” of the venue—a shared, contemplative core where paths of research and general visitation diverge. This spatial distinction emerged from our desire to respect the differing rhythms of study and leisure. Scholars require quietude and focus, while general visitors benefit from more fluid and exploratory circulation. The courtyard's open layout, framed by corridors and transparent walls, visually and physically delineates these flows while remaining inclusive. Inspired by Chinese garden philosophy, it also becomes a symbolic axis that harmonizes activity and stillness, academic pursuit and public interaction.
The use of Carrara marble and stacked stone was driven by a desire to root the space in enduring material narratives. Carrara marble, with its natural veining, offers both elegance and a sense of movement—echoing the flowing forms of calligraphy. It is prominently used in entrance walls to create a serene yet powerful first impression. The stacked stones, on the other hand, evoke layers of time and memory, suggesting a sedimentation of culture and thought. By combining these materials, we sought to create a multisensory experience—one where the textures speak to both the permanence of heritage and the continuous unfolding of history.
As Taiwan's first Presidential Library, this serene and multifunctional cultural venue bears a significant historical responsibility—not only to preserve the nation's memory, but also to respond to contemporary demands for public knowledge and interdisciplinary dialogue. This mission deeply influences our spatial design strategies and methods.The library’s public areas are divided into two distinct zones: the exhibition hall and the members-only library. The exhibition space is dedicated to presenting presidential archives and collections. Precious artifacts are displayed in secure showcases, while historical documents and imagery are projected through films and visual installations to evoke a strong sense of realism and historical presence. The library section operates on a membership system, primarily serving scholars and academics. It regularly hosts academic symposia and also offers venue rentals, encouraging dynamic, cross-disciplinary events—such as a recent Louis Vuitton runway show.In terms of spatial planning, we have carefully balanced the solemnity required for heritage preservation with the flexibility needed for modern usage. For example, the exhibition zone employs warm materials and controlled lighting to create a contemplative atmosphere. In contrast, the academic and event spaces feature movable partitions, modular furnishings, and advanced acoustic treatments, allowing them to easily transform into conference rooms, discussion lounges, or lecture venues.More importantly, the library actively welcomes creative and cross-sector collaborations. By doing so, it redefines what a presidential library can be—not just a repository of the past, but a living platform for thought, culture, and exchange. Through deliberate spatial design and operational flexibility, the library allows history and the present, scholarship and creativity, public service and cultural innovation to coexist seamlessly, fulfilling its role as a space where cultural memory and forward-looking imagination converge.
Achieving Taiwan’s Diamond level green building certification required an integrated design strategy that married sustainability with cultural authenticity. From material selection to mechanical systems, every choice served dual purposes. We prioritized locally sourced, low-emission materials such as water-based paints and natural stone. Intelligent lighting, energy-efficient HVAC, and daylight optimization were seamlessly embedded into the design. At the same time, we ensured these systems did not disrupt the visual purity or spatial rhythm inspired by traditional calligraphy and architecture. The result is a holistic environment where sustainability is not an add-on, but a deeply embedded design ethos that supports both human well-being and cultural continuity.
The use of wood-textured ceilings and lattice structures in this serene, multifunctional cultural venue is deeply rooted in Eastern aesthetics, embodying both continuity and introspection. These design elements are not merely decorative—they are conceptually inspired by traditional philosophies and natural landscapes that emphasize the interplay between presence and absence.The lattice motif, in particular, draws inspiration from Chinese bamboo groves, where vertical bamboo poles intersect with layers of foliage and shifting light to create a visual rhythm of opacity and transparency. This natural layering of views—where scenery is partially revealed and partially concealed—serves as a metaphor for contemplation and subtle perception. Translating this into architecture, the lattice becomes a permeable boundary: it allows light, air, and sightlines to flow through, while gently defining space. It offers enclosure without confinement, inviting visitors to slow down and engage with the space mindfully.The wood-grain ceiling further reinforces this calm atmosphere, emphasizing natural materials and the passage of time. It reflects the Eastern principle of Dao fa zi ran (道法自然)—"the Way follows nature"—and adds warmth and softness to the overall spatial experience. Meanwhile, the repetitive grid of the lattice structure visually evokes a sense of order and continuity, symbolizing the flow of history, thought, and time.Together, these elements create an atmosphere of quiet depth and layered meaning—a spatial rhythm that supports reflection, scholarly inquiry, and cultural dialogue. In this way, the space itself becomes a medium for communication: a place where tradition and modernity, structure and emotion, converge to foster introspection and intellectual exchange.
The abstract interpretation of calligraphy evolved through a deep engagement with its philosophical essence rather than its literal form. In early conceptual sketches, we analyzed the kinetic qualities of brushstrokes—their rhythm, pauses, and transitions—and mapped these into spatial sequences. For example, an ink stroke's bold beginning inspired the anchoring mass of the central exhibition wall, while its fading tail informed the soft fade-out of a curved corridor lit by diffuse lighting. Over time, this metaphor expanded from walls and surfaces to circulation, acoustics, and even scent. Architecture, in this sense, became a multi-sensory calligraphic poem—experienced in motion, light, and silence.
We envisioned Serenity as a hybrid knowledge environment where analog and digital wisdom coexist. The integration of a digital Sinology library within a traditional museum setting reflects our belief that scholarly inquiry is both rooted and evolving. Digital infrastructure—such as interactive databases, remote access terminals, and audiovisual archives—is embedded discreetly, preserving the architectural purity while enabling modern research methods. At the same time, physical archives, rare manuscripts, and tactile reading spaces cultivate the sensory and contemplative aspects of learning. This coexistence allows researchers and visitors to navigate between eras and formats seamlessly, enriching both personal insight and collective memory.
What sets Serenity apart in contemporary architectural discourse is its ability to merge intangible cultural values with high-performance spatial design. Rather than imposing stylistic tropes, we translated metaphysical concepts—such as clarity of mind, resilience, and humility—into spatial expressions. The project innovates through restraint: it elevates silence over spectacle, meaning over decoration. It also redefines what a cultural venue can be—not merely a place of display, but a living, breathing ecosystem for learning, dialogue, and introspection. This quiet radicalism, grounded in both tradition and innovation, represents the type of design thinking we believe the future needs most.
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