The design aims to blur the physical boundaries of the architecture, suggesting that the boundaries of knowledge and cognition are vague, yet the spiritual core is clear and resolute. Just as the bookstore’s hybrid nature of commerce and culture dissolves the boundary between profit-oriented operations and public-spirited sharing. It appeals to an openness and accessibility to the public. The boundary does not represent rigidity; on the contrary, I believe it is filled with exploration and contention. While it proclaims a definition, it also leaves room for gaps, inviting conflict and challenge to occur.
—— Li Xiang
Integrated Architecture and Interior Design
Classical Under the Discourse of Innovation
The project is located in the Italian-style district of Tianjin, surrounded by a century-old Italian architectural cluster characterized by red bricks. The original site is a modern building that is detached from the surrounding classical context, and the Tianjin Zhongshuge needs to be rebuilt. This not only requires integrated consideration of individual architecture and interior design but also needs to fit into the cultural atmosphere of the neighborhood.
Red brick, as an important construction material in Italian classical architecture, becomes a required design element. The history of red brick can be traced back to the ancient Roman period. With the development of its application, the use gradually expanded from Rome to the entire Italian peninsula. Red brick buildings, with their simple style and long-standing heritage, have become an important window for people to explore Italian culture.
The designer extracts the common constructive significance of red bricks from the dual cultural context of China and Italy, pointing to the spirit of craftsmanship inherent in the material. The meticulous craftsmanship of brick carving and stacking considers the subtlety of space, and also tries to remind people to be conscious of slowing down in the fast-paced era. Reading is the same; only by reading and contemplating word by word can one find the stability of their own spirit.
Infuse the Abstract into the Concrete
Carve the Tangible
The project draws inspiration from the familiar everyday object of blinds, extracting a sense of unfamiliar perception. Light passing through the slats is separated into threads, intertwining light and shadow. The designer observes a cutting technique in the overlapping structure of the blinds and translates it into the construction order of the bookstore.
The gaps of the blinds are introduced into the originally dense brickwork, transforming the material texture from heavy to light, creating a visual effect of interpenetration between the virtual and the real, making the space transparent and dynamic. The design strategy of intervening in the stacking technique with a cutting logic is not only an artistic practice of disassembling and reassembling classical architectural elements but also emphasizes the persistence in independent thinking and the pursuit of innovation within the framework of profound traditional architectural vocabulary.
In the center of the building, a deep blue steel plate extends through three levels, with the color extracted from the seawater of the Tianjin port, and the more delicate cutting form corresponds to the undulating waves, interpreting the spirit of the sea that embraces all rivers and the urban temperament of Tianjin. The large arched doorways progress upwards, as if the tide is surging with ripples, symbolizing the dissemination and spread of knowledge through books.
As soon as one steps into the bookstore, the layers of steps rise, extend, and deepen. One must ascend the steps to transition into the main body of the bookstore, metaphorically representing the relentless pursuit of truth by humanity. As one's physical steps move, the spirit journeys through books, with body and mind pursuing together. The steps extend into bookshelves, and the progressive form implies the local characteristics of the port city—ships setting sail, diverse thoughts carried by the sea, moving towards the depths, thus the path always moves forward.
Traditional Material and New Boundary
Innovative Redefinition of Brick Application
Simplicity: Using Only Two Main Materials
The entire main body of Tianjin Zhongshuge is completed solely with bricks, complemented by ironwork, without any superfluous intervention. Steel, with its modern industrial strength, harmonizes with the classical charm of red bricks, and the collision of warm and cool tones displays a visual tension.
The interweaving and staggering of materials not only exist as a physical structure but also give birth to the form of bookshelves. These bookshelves naturally extend with the space, smoothly guiding the layout of seats and steps. The functional layout naturally takes shape, reflecting the design's high level of integration and harmonious coexistence. Thus, diverse functions such as exhibition, rest, and traffic flow lines are integrated through a consistent design logic, with each element being both independent and closely connected.
In terms of construction technology, the logic of assembly is minimalist, with bricks being stacked one by one and steel plates layered progressively. The grand building ultimately begins with two materials and one action, akin to the determination of Mr. Fool moving mountains to accomplish a huge task. Interlocking rings, nested layers, and the accumulation of small efforts lead to significant outcomes. If one wishes to replace a certain brick or layer, it would require disassembling from the end of the current construction sequence in reverse, which undoubtedly demands a high level of concentration and precision from the builders.
Here, bricks and steel, these structural building materials, are used for delicate spatial expression, no longer hidden beneath decoration as just another "material," but becoming a direct expression of the spirit of construction.
Innovation: A Whole New Vision for Bricks
Common rectangular bricks are regular yet monotonous, and traditional laying techniques, though they can show certain patterns, are inevitably bound by a sense of formality. We scrutinized the contours of the brick shape from a sculptural dimension, completing a rebellion against the traditional rigid form. In the end, the entire project used about 400,000 bricks, with each type of brick finely confirmed according to different scale needs, endowing the material with a rich range of expressions and micro-level changes.
Each shape of brick was designed specifically for this bookstore, with a customized design solution that retroactively demanded the iteration of materials. Based on the overall style, spatial layout, and functional requirements of the bookstore, bricks of different shapes and sizes were designed. From the initial conceptual sketches to the construction of detailed three-dimensional models, the design team conducted countless simulations and validations to ensure the perfect presentation of every detail in actual application, while also anticipating and addressing potential various situations.
Taking a single bookshelf as an example, considering the visibility needs of the bookshelf from different directions, a continuous book-placing table was designed at the bottom, transitioning with a curved contour. The transition trend extends to an increasing area, making the bricks in this area, although all trapezoidal, vary in size, and each size requires a separate mold. Even in a small space, there is an undeniable investment.
The unconventional design requires the manufacturer to keep up with the thinking, break away from inertial thinking, and try to do things without any experience to draw upon. In order to illustrate the needs of the brick shape and emphasize subtle differences, the design team may need to provide top views, cross-sections, and node diagrams from different angles for a single brick. The production of bricks requires craftsmen to cut each one by hand to ensure the shape meets the design requirements.
By using cutting techniques to blur the physicality of architecture, it metaphorically conveys that human cognition boundaries are also vague, which is why we need to seek clear insights from reading. The new exploration around brick materials tries to reduce the emphasis on technology and return to thinking about the form itself, fundamentally and originally innovating the material. The design deconstructs the spatial vocabulary of Western classical architecture, translates the core of craftsmanship with local culture, and ultimately it is the emotional narrative of the city itself.
The design aims to blur the physical boundaries of the architecture, suggesting that the boundaries of knowledge and cognition are vague, yet the spiritual core is clear and resolute. Just as the bookstore’s hybrid nature of commerce and culture dissolves the boundary between profit-oriented operations and public-spirited sharing. It appeals to an openness and accessibility to the public. The boundary does not represent rigidity; on the contrary, I believe it is filled with exploration and contention. While it proclaims a definition, it also leaves room for gaps, inviting conflict and challenge to occur.
—— Li Xiang
Integrated Architecture and Interior Design
Classical Under the Discourse of Innovation
The project is located in the Italian-style district of Tianjin, surrounded by a century-old Italian architectural cluster characterized by red bricks. The original site is a modern building that is detached from the surrounding classical context, and the Tianjin Zhongshuge needs to be rebuilt. This not only requires integrated consideration of individual architecture and interior design but also needs to fit into the cultural atmosphere of the neighborhood.
Red brick, as an important construction material in Italian classical architecture, becomes a required design element. The history of red brick can be traced back to the ancient Roman period. With the development of its application, the use gradually expanded from Rome to the entire Italian peninsula. Red brick buildings, with their simple style and long-standing heritage, have become an important window for people to explore Italian culture.
The designer extracts the common constructive significance of red bricks from the dual cultural context of China and Italy, pointing to the spirit of craftsmanship inherent in the material. The meticulous craftsmanship of brick carving and stacking considers the subtlety of space, and also tries to remind people to be conscious of slowing down in the fast-paced era. Reading is the same; only by reading and contemplating word by word can one find the stability of their own spirit.
Infuse the Abstract into the Concrete
Carve the Tangible
The project draws inspiration from the familiar everyday object of blinds, extracting a sense of unfamiliar perception. Light passing through the slats is separated into threads, intertwining light and shadow. The designer observes a cutting technique in the overlapping structure of the blinds and translates it into the construction order of the bookstore.
The gaps of the blinds are introduced into the originally dense brickwork, transforming the material texture from heavy to light, creating a visual effect of interpenetration between the virtual and the real, making the space transparent and dynamic. The design strategy of intervening in the stacking technique with a cutting logic is not only an artistic practice of disassembling and reassembling classical architectural elements but also emphasizes the persistence in independent thinking and the pursuit of innovation within the framework of profound traditional architectural vocabulary.
In the center of the building, a deep blue steel plate extends through three levels, with the color extracted from the seawater of the Tianjin port, and the more delicate cutting form corresponds to the undulating waves, interpreting the spirit of the sea that embraces all rivers and the urban temperament of Tianjin. The large arched doorways progress upwards, as if the tide is surging with ripples, symbolizing the dissemination and spread of knowledge through books.
As soon as one steps into the bookstore, the layers of steps rise, extend, and deepen. One must ascend the steps to transition into the main body of the bookstore, metaphorically representing the relentless pursuit of truth by humanity. As one's physical steps move, the spirit journeys through books, with body and mind pursuing together. The steps extend into bookshelves, and the progressive form implies the local characteristics of the port city—ships setting sail, diverse thoughts carried by the sea, moving towards the depths, thus the path always moves forward.
Traditional Material and New Boundary
Innovative Redefinition of Brick Application
Simplicity: Using Only Two Main Materials
The entire main body of Tianjin Zhongshuge is completed solely with bricks, complemented by ironwork, without any superfluous intervention. Steel, with its modern industrial strength, harmonizes with the classical charm of red bricks, and the collision of warm and cool tones displays a visual tension.
The interweaving and staggering of materials not only exist as a physical structure but also give birth to the form of bookshelves. These bookshelves naturally extend with the space, smoothly guiding the layout of seats and steps. The functional layout naturally takes shape, reflecting the design's high level of integration and harmonious coexistence. Thus, diverse functions such as exhibition, rest, and traffic flow lines are integrated through a consistent design logic, with each element being both independent and closely connected.
In terms of construction technology, the logic of assembly is minimalist, with bricks being stacked one by one and steel plates layered progressively. The grand building ultimately begins with two materials and one action, akin to the determination of Mr. Fool moving mountains to accomplish a huge task. Interlocking rings, nested layers, and the accumulation of small efforts lead to significant outcomes. If one wishes to replace a certain brick or layer, it would require disassembling from the end of the current construction sequence in reverse, which undoubtedly demands a high level of concentration and precision from the builders.
Here, bricks and steel, these structural building materials, are used for delicate spatial expression, no longer hidden beneath decoration as just another "material," but becoming a direct expression of the spirit of construction.
Innovation: A Whole New Vision for Bricks
Common rectangular bricks are regular yet monotonous, and traditional laying techniques, though they can show certain patterns, are inevitably bound by a sense of formality. We scrutinized the contours of the brick shape from a sculptural dimension, completing a rebellion against the traditional rigid form. In the end, the entire project used about 400,000 bricks, with each type of brick finely confirmed according to different scale needs, endowing the material with a rich range of expressions and micro-level changes.
Each shape of brick was designed specifically for this bookstore, with a customized design solution that retroactively demanded the iteration of materials. Based on the overall style, spatial layout, and functional requirements of the bookstore, bricks of different shapes and sizes were designed. From the initial conceptual sketches to the construction of detailed three-dimensional models, the design team conducted countless simulations and validations to ensure the perfect presentation of every detail in actual application, while also anticipating and addressing potential various situations.
Taking a single bookshelf as an example, considering the visibility needs of the bookshelf from different directions, a continuous book-placing table was designed at the bottom, transitioning with a curved contour. The transition trend extends to an increasing area, making the bricks in this area, although all trapezoidal, vary in size, and each size requires a separate mold. Even in a small space, there is an undeniable investment.
The unconventional design requires the manufacturer to keep up with the thinking, break away from inertial thinking, and try to do things without any experience to draw upon. In order to illustrate the needs of the brick shape and emphasize subtle differences, the design team may need to provide top views, cross-sections, and node diagrams from different angles for a single brick. The production of bricks requires craftsmen to cut each one by hand to ensure the shape meets the design requirements.
By using cutting techniques to blur the physicality of architecture, it metaphorically conveys that human cognition boundaries are also vague, which is why we need to seek clear insights from reading. The new exploration around brick materials tries to reduce the emphasis on technology and return to thinking about the form itself, fundamentally and originally innovating the material. The design deconstructs the spatial vocabulary of Western classical architecture, translates the core of craftsmanship with local culture, and ultimately it is the emotional narrative of the city itself.
