Reviving Hakka Culture: Pingshan Cultural Cluster Book Mall

Jiang and Associates Creative Design's Innovative Approach to Bookstore Design

The Book Mall, inspired by the Hakka enclosed houses prevalent in Pingshan District, has been designed with a unique "Spirit of Place". The design team has abandoned traditional concrete design methods and instead, extracted the unique spirit of these houses, integrating it into the space design concept. The result is a space that resonates with the history and culture of its location.

The Book Mall is divided into two distinct zones: "Square" and "Round". The square zone, oriented towards young people, expands around the central activity area. The design team drew inspiration from "Diaolou" (tower building), using its highly structured facade to create characteristic walls for the atrium. The mirror finish ceiling extends the image infinitely, activating the memory of the entire space. The round zone, designed for families and children, features a lively circular and curved layout. The smooth curved book walls divide the space into parts, increasing the fun of passing through them.

In order to convey the design scene of Hakka enclosed houses more clearly, the team collected different disused wooden doors and windows from old buildings in the surrounding areas. These were then engraved on the cement walls of the atrium, creating a dialogue between ancient and modern times. The wood texture in different types and periods formed rich and interesting texture patterns.

The Book Mall's design was not without its challenges. The building is located on two sides of a semi-outdoor passageway, making it difficult to strengthen the connection of the space on both sides. However, the design team overcame this by defining the space on both sides of the building as two design attributes of "Square" and "Round". This integration of the unique "Spirit of Place" essence of Hakka enclosed houses into the design concept for two different spaces resulted in a seamless connection between space and life scenes.

The Pingshan Cultural Cluster Book Mall, completed in April 2020, covers a total floor area of 6472.5㎡. The project has been recognized for its innovative approach to bookstore design, winning the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom.