ENGRAVE

Wenzhou, China

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ENGRAVE

Wenzhou, China

Firm

QIANG DESIGN

Type

Residential › Apartment Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2024

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$10K - 50K

Materials have memory; concrete can speak.
— Tadao Ando
01 Realm of Release · Texture Code
“Engrave” does not mean deliberate ornamentation, but rather, using minimal means to reveal the texture and order inherent in a space.
This project treats the 125㎡ space as an unfinished block of sculpture. Non-load-bearing walls are removed, exposing the structural framework, responding to the multidimensional needs of life in its purest form. The space is no longer statically divided, but becomes a continuously flowing medium, reflecting the rhythms and emotional waves of its inhabitants.
The design weaves and intersects materials to carve out the rhythm and interfaces of the space. Coarse and fine textures coexist; cold hardness and warmth merge, creating perceptual layers that extend from tactile sensation to visual experience. Every stone, every wall, bears the engraving of time and craftsmanship, metaphorically expressing the sedimentation and flow of life.
The entrance floor is laid with handmade black bricks, which develop warmth with use, building a tactile memory of time’s passage. The bricks and boundaries silently delineate the rhythm of entering and leaving, forming a subtle yet precise transitional ritual.
Exposed concrete walls retain the material’s raw texture, reducing decorative elements and guiding a tranquil spatial tone through minimalist language.
A metallic mirror is embedded in the ceiling, reflecting the extension and perceived height of the space, releasing tension in subtle light. Light interacts with materials to create atmosphere, completing the first layer of psychological release.
In the living room, the elevated black brick floor guides circulation and creates a staggered sense of spatial layering. The seating area is enclosed as an inward-focused field, naturally generating a sense of center. Structural load-bearing walls remain visible, wrapped in half-height metal cabinetry, blending into the background while providing storage and connecting front and back spaces, shaping a dynamic and fluid circulation.
The boundaries between walls and furniture, interfaces and functions, are softened; storage is embedded within surfaces, appearing as part of the spatial texture rather than independent objects. Light flows naturally along the structure, from the translucent morning glow to the warm dusk, slowly revealing the space over time. The breathing of materials and the gradation of light weave a quiet tension.
The design does not shape the “form” of the space, but carves the “feeling” of life. Within the rhythm of “engrave,” living becomes a layered experience, a dialogue slowly unfolding between materials, structure, and light.
02 Co-Creation · Flowing Theater
This public area no longer serves a single function, but becomes a dynamic interface of intersecting scenes. The dining kitchen, tea pavilion, and study coexist on the same plane, connecting multiple daily rhythms and role transitions.
The dining area and island combine, with storage and appliance cabinets integrated into the surfaces. Interfaces remain clean and restrained. Delicate transitions between materials soften the spatial rhythm, making the kitchen and dining area a node where “use” and “communication” coexist. Sliding glass doors subtly block cooking fumes while maintaining an open sense of free flow.
The corridor to the balcony extends naturally, ending in a concealed tea pavilion. The sloped wooden ceiling opens like a canopy, lightly covering the pavilion. Stone stools serve as seats, where friends gather for tea, creating a tranquil, intimate architectural corner. Hidden storage beneath the seating subtly expands capacity while maintaining order.
The study is subtly divided into active and quiet zones by a secondary elevation. The first step features rough concrete texture paired with the translucency of modern glass bricks, creating rich tactile rhythms. The bookshelf, assembled using traditional mortise-and-tenon techniques, blends classical craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, both functional and graceful, becoming a quiet spiritual anchor in the space.
Load-bearing walls gain new life as façade nodes. Circular “capsule” cat nooks are cleverly embedded within cabinets, creating lively pathways for pets and humans, warm and playful. The study wraps around the walls, interweaving storage and writing functions, balancing efficiency with a serene reading atmosphere.
Overall, interfaces, materials, functions, and space converse with one another, flowing yet orderly, soft yet strong, weaving multidimensional co-creation and gentle order into life.
03 Hidden Order Field
The private space continues the structural logic of the public areas, refining scale into more delicate spatial language. Materials, light, and volume permeate each other, achieving both calmness and psychological comfort in visual rhythm and perception.
The master bedroom, as the most private core space, is integrated into a suite system connecting a dressing room and dual bathrooms. The bed’s end cabinet floats lightly, leaving empty space beneath, creating a sense of translucency and acting as a slowly unfolding background. Load-bearing walls are treated with black glazed tiles, contrasting with warm wood textures, providing division while maintaining transition and imparting a subtle sequential tension.
The dressing room employs mirrored wardrobes to create dual reflections, amplifying light and spatial perception, generating a layered world of real and reflected space. Functional modules are deconstructed and reassembled layer by layer; marble and wood veneer blend softly at junctions, so that order emerges naturally from living flows rather than mere form.
The secondary bedroom takes advantage of the original bay window, elevating the bed and maximizing storage underneath. Walls wrap around an integrated desk, merging storage, writing, living, and use in a concise and restrained way—light, yet warm.
The external bathroom, though compact, employs dry-wet separation and wall gaps to expand perceived space. The washbasin is cantilevered, the mirror cabinet recessed, allowing light to slide across stainless steel surfaces, reflecting soft sheen and creating a rational yet tranquil dialogue with the exposed concrete gray tone.
In these “quiet spaces,” design speaks not through ornamentation but through volume, texture, and rhythm. Daily private life scenes such as sleeping, washing, and contemplation unfold gradually in restraint, returning to a place of peace for body and mind.
Project Information
Design Firm: Qiang Design
Project Name: engrave
Project Type: Residential Space
Project Year: 2024
Project Location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Project Area: 125㎡
Lead Designer: Wang Qiangli
Team Participants: Chi Haoran, Han Junhao
Company Website: www.qiangid.com
Contact: 13957749707
Photography: Zhang Jianing
Construction Team: Qiang Design

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ENGRAVE

Wenzhou, China

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ENGRAVE

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ENGRAVE

Wenzhou, China

Other Projects by QIANG DESIGN

ENLIGHTEN

PAN RESONANCE

Eaves

FA

ENGRAVE

Wenzhou, China

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team