Ten Bamboo Studio Art Gallery in Hangzhou, China by SITUATE Architecture

Article source: SITUATE Architecture

Inheritance and Transmission

Traditional techniques lie in cultural and historical context. They look remote and abstract in parallel to our daily life. In Ten Bamboo Studio Art Gallery project, SITUATE Architecture tempts to translate traditional technique with space by introducing interaction, creating echoes of the past with present.

Ten Bamboo Studio

Originated in Ming dynasty (1584-1674) as a publishing house, Ten Bamboo Studio’s wood-block printing technique was honorably inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2014. This technique is used as the method of reproducing the masterpiece of artworks and calligraphies with 3 key steps: tracing works, carving blocks and printing pieces.

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

• Architects: SITUATE Architecture
• Project: Ten Bamboo Studio Art Gallery
• Location: Hangzhou, China
• Photography: DU Chen
• Client: Podinns Hotel Group
• Artist/Inheritor: WEI Lizhong/Hanghzou Ten Bamboo Studio Art Gallery
• Design Team: ZHANG Minghui, ZHANG Zhen, ZHANG Hongyu
• Curator: HUANG Shan/Will Lab
• Building Area: 150㎡
• Design Period: 12/2019-08/2020
• Construction Period: 08/2020-10/2020

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Reinterpretation of Tradition

The core of this technique is that several printing blocks are applied in succession with different inks to achieve the appearance of a hand-painted watercolor. Inspired by this key procedure, we print these successions on layers of PC sheets in order and combine them into layered installation, communicating the core of the technique.

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Present and Past

Ten Bamboo Studio Art Gallery is located in a commercial area where there exists a strong contrast between “the present” (on the busy street) and “the past” (in the Gallery space). We bridge the present and the past by creating a “time tunnel” in between, a transitional space as entrance hall. In this space, the layered installations showcasing the core of the technique intercross and divide the space, attracting the passengers from the street. Wandering among these installations, people get a clear idea of this technique at a glance, and be curious to go further into the main exhibition hall to explore more of the past.

Space Collage

Another feature of this project is that the Gallery is inserted in a chain-hotel. It shares the lounge with the hotel. This “24-hour Gallery” in the downtown initiates a dialogue between historical cultural heritage and contemporary life.

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © DU Chen

Image Courtesy © SITUATE Architecture

Image Courtesy © SITUATE Architecture

Image Courtesy © SITUATE Architecture

Image Courtesy © SITUATE Architecture

Tags: China, Hangzhou

Category: Art Gallery

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