Aranya: A Sanctuary for the Soul

Yiming Zhu's Reception Center Design Echoes the Serenity of a Church

The design's inspiration came from spaces that naturally calm people down, such as bookstores, Buddhist temples, churches, classrooms, and libraries. The solemn and respectful dignity of a church greatly matches the atmosphere and usage of the space. This echoes the main concept of Aranya, which aims to provide people with spiritual release. The decoration and structure of the space are designed to create a visual hierarchy, giving the impression that everything is not in a rush.

Aranya's architectural plans are made of white steel frames and geometric boxes, alongside a beautiful wetland park. A large area of the glass curtain walls is used to highlight the superior natural wetland environment. The pure and transparent volume of this reception center is designed to create a peaceful atmosphere and reduce the chaos in sound.

The ceiling of the whole space is made of acoustic wooden fiber board to manage the noisy situation during peak periods of people flow. The rusticity of the wooden fiber boards gives the whole space a loose sense, softening the space to some extents. Moreover, the brutality of the wooden fiber board and the delicateness of hardware and lamps form a contrast with each other.

The reception center integrates multiple functions and separates people flow. The display wall made of acrylic at the entrance of the restaurant provides information about various community activities. This allows customers to grasp recent community activity arrangements by taking a quick look.

This project is located in Aranya, Qinhuangdao, and was formally put into use on the eve of the 2021 Aranya theater festival. The design was realized after transformative analysis and research on the logic of behaviors and demands of people in the reception space, the effect of different color temperature lights on people's moods, and the use of sound-absorbing materials in space.

Aranya was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2022. The award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.