SUZHOU PLOT 2024-WG-Z30 PROJECT

As the primary interface that showcases the unique temperament of the project, the design takes the understated and restrained building facade as the opening of its narrative. It delves deeply into the cultural roots and inherent qualities of Suzhou, extracting three core concepts to enhance the design value and cultural connotation of the entrance space.

"Concealing yet revealing, embodying profound heritage in subtlety" – this concept draws on the essence of the life philosophy found in the "waist gate entry path" of Zhuozheng Garden and the "winding path leading to seclusion" of Liu Garden. It employs design techniques of concealment and revelation, as well as emptiness and solidity, to meticulously create a spatial experience of "a new scene with each step". Through the artistic blank space of "concealment", the space is endowed with endless imaginative possibilities, guiding viewers to feel the depth and charm of the space during their exploration.

Upholding the philosophy of ultimate craftsmanship in creation, the design extracts the design concept of "revealing the grand through the minute, achieving excellence through refinement" from traditional crafts such as Suzhou embroidery's thread-splitting, Suzhou-style furniture's mortise and tenon joints, and jade carving's thin-body techniques. It does not pursue the luxurious stacking of materials but focuses on the elaborate refinement of details; it does not flaunt complex and varied skills but strives to achieve a harmonious balance between the "utility" and "beauty" of craftsmanship, demonstrating the ingenious wisdom of design.

Pursuing an elegant and restrained spiritual outlook, Suzhou's "elegance" is not an elitist posture that is out of reach for the masses: gardens are "visitable and habitable" living spaces, not merely objects for appreciation; Pingtan (Suzhou storytelling and ballad singing) is "stories in teahouses", close to the public rather than temple art; Suzhou-style pastries are "sweet but not cloying", with delicacy that embodies respect for the instinct of taste. This kind of "elegance" is a life aesthetic of "turning daily life into poetry", yet it is filled with the vitality of human life.