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Tien-Ching Academy, Hangzhou

Tien-Ching Academy locates at the foot of National Park of Hangzhou Banshan, which serves as a quiet corner in the city that enjoys serene natural scenery.

The core of the project lies with aesthetic of Sung dynasty. The main structure of the building is a court with courtyard with white wall and gray tiles. A courtyard with canals in the center faces Banshan. Various functions surround the central area: incense burning, tea boiling, painting, and wall tapestry. Everything echoes the artistic culture of Sung dynasty. The exterior of the building resonates with the naturalistic garden, reflecting the joy of life and spiritual freedom.

The lighting design utilizes cultural element with the poem by Su Shi, “The sun took it away, while the moon delivered it.” We hope the lighting in all space could be as natural as possible, resembling the rise of sun and moon. One may relax and enjoy the living experience of Sung dynasty and its cultural significance.

Basic lighting arrangement: the lightings at the front are reserved. When one walks across the road paved with slabs, the silhouette of ancient pines and mellow light from indoors would clash upon the grid walls. It generates a sense of anticipation for what follows. With the main entrance and the building interior, the design generates a warm area through consecutive lightings. The properly established blank areas form strong visual contrast. One could see the curtain within the courtyard through the circular porthole, further inspiring an urge for exploration. The lighting designs within the courtyard with canals provide visitors a space to convene with the darkened sky. The exquisite deco on the door enables visitors to bask in the beauty of nature. We aim to design as natural as possible without artificial implement.

The interior lights convey the simple aesthetics of Sung dynasty. The artifacts and functional devices in the lobby generates a sense of space. The soft light behind the rice paper board resembles the ray of dusk. The consecutive lightings hidden on both sides of the slanted roof provides a sense of weight for woodworks and indirect lighting, painting the lobby with a mellow color. The lighting in the tearoom reflects the serenity of writers’ study. All details have been revealed under the light. The hidden consecutive lighting of the lighting design is modelled after sunshine from the shaft above, which reflects how writers endeavor to return to nature.