Zi Garden/Tangquan Tea Club: A Zen Oasis by Raynon Chiu

Award-Winning Design Blends Ancient Principles with Modern Aesthetics

Raynon Chiu's design inspiration for the Tangquan Tea Club is deeply rooted in the ancient principles of Chinese culture. The space is designed to create a Zen-like state for the visitor, using traditional Chinese materials and ancient architectural styles. The interior interacts with the exterior to create an environment of relaxation and simplicity, with rough green slate and natural wood floors reflecting the exterior surroundings. The space includes three separate tearooms, a library, and a lake viewable from all rooms.

The unique properties of this design lie in its interpretation of Zen's spirit and charm, emphasizing communication between humanity and nature. The interior design eschews magnificence and braveness, instead focusing on creating a refuge for the soul. The Tea Club uses light color throughout, and the rough green slates and naturally informed wood floors give a sense of time full of traces. The designer integrates modernism with oriental Zen, turning the space into a graceful tea space.

The Tangquan Tea Club was realized using a variety of materials, including Ink Stone, Grey Granite, Black Galaxy Granite, Silver White, Beige Marble, Anti-fog Mirror, Tawny Glasses, Antique Copper, Carpet, Wallpaper, Wood Finishes, Floors, Latex Paint, Mosaic, Acrylic, and Green Cement Plates. The teahouse was developed on the basis of a villa with three floors and an underground basement.

The design project started in August 2012 and was completed in April 2014 in Huizhou, China. It was opened to the public in the same year. The hardest part of this design activity was transforming a residential space into a commercial one that integrates reception, property illumination, and transaction. The building's functional spaces were rearranged to meet the demand of sales, and the design successfully integrates both business aspects and leisure.

The Tangquan Tea Club is a testament to Raynon Chiu's design prowess, winning the Platinum A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2015. This prestigious award recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that showcase unmatched professionalism, contribute to societal wellbeing, and advance the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology.