A Quiet Moment
The owner of independent clothing boutique Naqu Shui Yue Dian called on architect Wang Daquan of Tanzo Space Design to create her brand’s second location in the trendy Wudaoying Hutong. Daquan took the site’s heritage and original architecture as his starting point, creating an emotive shopping experience that centres around a calming courtyard pond
Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?
Wang Daquan: It happened very serendipitously. I was having dinner at a restaurant next to the first Naqu Shui, and afterwards went inside to have a look. I started talking with the owner about the traditional utensils she had on display and I got to know her from there. She later became my client.
What’s unique about the building and the location?
The building is located in the middle of the Wudaoying Hutong at Lama Temple in Beijing’s Dongcheng District. It has a typical courtyard layout, and offers peace and calm in the middle of the busy area.
What was the project brief?
The owner wanted the whole space to be beautiful and quiet, with a sense of the spiritual. On the ground floor was to be a contemporary women's clothing shop, which would have displays of traditional handicrafts and ancient artefacts. Upstairs was going to be a private culture and lifestyle space that would be used for workshops, exhibitions and traditional ceremonies.
What design references or narrative did you try to incorporate into the space?
The project was born out of a respect for history, humanity and architecture. We treated the architecture with artistic methods and fused design elements from different eras into one. The spirit of the design is inclusiveness, conciseness and timelessness. According to the local context, we considered practicality and the application of low-tech, eco-friendly recyclable materials in creating a quiet and peaceful space.
Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.
We chose the most basic, simple materials like cement, steel, glass, copper and breathable natural fibres.
Are there any custom-designed pieces?
The custom-made pieces include the copper washbasin, the handmade paper lantern, handmade bamboo rafts constructed on site, the original semi-finished wall that we retained and painted, the old-fashioned switches and the Japanese glass lamps.
How long did the interior fit-out process take?
The whole process took about three months.
Are there any other details about the space that you want to share?
In this space, the building, art and traditional objects are in harmony. Time allows us to see more beauty, and the essence of things. There is only beauty in silence. That’s what we wanted to create here. Perhaps a design without any design is the best design.
As told to / Suzy Annetta
Images / Ma Xiaochun
