01. Project Overview

Usual Studio’s new work "Jinjihang" boutique furniture store, located in Manjuelong, West Lake, Hangzhou, is an aesthetic lifestyle house used as a display area for furniture and household decoration, tea break and contact. The site is close to Manjuelong Road with a front courtyard and a back yard to separate the space from the noisy neighborhood and enhance the beautiful scenery around.

02. Daily Poetry

The site is located in Manjuelong a place with a typical misty and rainy artistic conception from Jiangnan, specialized in dealings with oriental-style furniture products. So the presentation of "Oriental aesthetics" naturally becomes the core concept of the transformation design. "Oriental aesthetics" is a general and obscure vocabulary. Can we visualize and perceive it?

We found the fulcrum of the design from "rain on roof tiles" a small daily event with strong Jiangnan charm and applied it to the entire space.

The "floating tile" extends from the original tile roof to the entire facade. This new facade can be sensed directly from both the inside and the outside space. With the tiles as the curtain, some parts are gently lifted, the indoor and outdoor landscapes can resonate with each other. Therefore a half-concealed facade image is formed.

03. Fusion of Inside and Outside

The transparent floor-to-ceiling glass closely connects the outdoor landscape and the indoor space. Walking around the exhibition hall feels like being in the nature.

The translucent facade skin composed of floating tiles filters the sunlight from the southwest and plays a role in shading. It also makes the indoor space being full of light and shadow changes. The design intent is to allow sunlight and scenery to gather and blend here, sublimating the space experience of the lifestyle house.

04. Warm Wood Tones

In the main space for furniture display, we use warm wood tones to highlight the comfort that are suitable of furniture products. The design uses a variety of materials，the combination of rattan, log material and dark marble, making the space present with a natural, warm and stable atmosphere.

The project site before the renovation was originally a restaurant, which has been abandoned for many years. The renovated old house has gained a new life in terms of functional use. And it is also a benefit reflection and practice in response to traditional cultural space design.

Project Name: Floating Tiles – Hangzhou "Jinjihang" Boutique Furniture Store Design
Project Location: Hangzhou, China
Gross Built Area (square meters): 450㎡
Design Year: 2020 / Completion Year: 2021 Design
Design Company: USUAL Studio
Design Contents: Architecture, Landscape, Interior Design
Leader Designer: Lin Jingrui
Design Team: LIN Jingrui, WANG Kunhui, WEN Hsin, Laura Canto López, WU Hailun, GUAN Liuxia
Photo Credits: YUJI Studio, USUAL Studio
Building Materials: Metal Painted Aluminum Plate, Glass, Wood veneer, Rattan，Marble，White Exterior Wall Paint