Chinese language scholar Zhang Taiyan’s home opens as a museum and bookshop in Suzhou

Zhang Taiyan’s former residence has been reopened as a museum within the Twentieth-century Chinese language scholar’s house city of Suzhou. The inside, which shall be accessible as a museum and historic attraction, is accompanied by a Gu Wu Xuan bookstore and café, designed by dynamic structure studio Tsing-Tien Making – headed by architect Freja Bao. 

Zhang Taiyan’s home turns into a house for books

Also called Zhang Backyard, the previous residence of Zhang Taiyan was constructed between 1911 and 1949 and includes three buildings, surrounded by a inexperienced, walled backyard. The southernmost construction was preserved as a museum, whereas the opposite two include the in depth bookshop and its café and communal areas.

Inside this setting Tsing-Tien Making labored on a design that pulls on the setting’s pure foliage tones, bringing a choice of shades of inexperienced into the composition. Supplies mix timber in pure tones and steel, which was utilized in a modular method within the shelving and shows. 

‘Renovation will not be merely about mixing into the previous. As an alternative, it entails the fusion of the previous and the brand new to imbue this long-standing home a brand new language, from design to performance and the expertise it provides to guests. We hope the story of Zhang Taiyan and his home don’t cease in that particular time interval however to proceed, with the brand new reminiscence and language, to hold ahead,’ Bao writes. 

The architects needed to respect the constructing’s current material (it has a protected heritage standing), and labored on each repairing beforehand broken areas, and opening up areas to deliver pure gentle in, and making certain modern wants are met. 

‘The objective was to combine the general performance of the Zhang Backyard and create a complete house that mixes books, conventional tradition, and the research of Chinese language classics, to raise guests’ expertise by way of design interventions,’ the architects write. 

An inside outlined by wealthy, darkish colors; grids and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves; and curated views inside and outside, promotes calm and a slowing down and appreciation of the setting’s historic nature – in addition to its reference to the city inexperienced outside. 

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