SHORT DESCRIPTION

The project integrates the Lingnan culture and traditional arts of China to create an elegant gathering space for literati. Inspired by The Garden of Literary Gathering, a renowned Northern Song Dynasty painting depicting scholars composing poetry and painting, the design revives the refined lifestyle of ancient Chinese intellectuals. At the entrance, the ceiling features a welcoming pine motif—a symbol of resilience and longevity in Chinese culture. The accent wall mimics traditional handscroll paintings, adorned with cloisonné (an enamel technique involving fired glass powder on metal) and jade inlays. The lobby’s backdrop draws from ancient bamboo slips, paired with lustrous blue mother-of-pearl lacquer, exuding understated sophistication. The ceiling art installation takes inspiration from A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains, a blue-green landscape masterpiece by Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song Dynasty. This modern reinterpretation captures the painting’s ethereal mountains, rivers, and mist with contemporary techniques. In the lounge area, the Meiren Kao (literally "Beauty’s Lean") seating—also called "flying chairs"—is a traditional semi-outdoor bench with a gracefully curved backrest resembling a woman’s neckline. Its angled design employs framed scenery, a classical Chinese gardening technique that uses windows or doorways to frame specific views, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor landscapes while enhancing spatial depth. Additionally, the classical screens reference imperial traditions, serving as partitions while showcasing Twelve Views of Water by Ma Yuan of the Southern Song Dynasty. This series of twelve poetic water scenes adds dynamic elegance to the space. The overall design harmonizes Lingnan aesthetics with mountain-water (shanshui) motifs, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the charm of Chinese cultural heritage.