Hui House Limited Edition Artbook

The inspiration for my design stems from the cultural landscape and traditional architectural construction of Hui-style residences in my hometown, China's sole architectural tradition that merges southern loft structures with northern courtyards, a fading heritage verifying the integration between the Central Plains civilization and the ancient Yue culture. The axial symmetry and sectional expansion structures have primarily inspired the design for this limited-edition art book.

Currently, Hui architectural groups are becoming a fading heritage due to neglect, and poor maintenance, resulting in a risk of vanishing from the misty landscapes of Huangshan and collective memory. This book is a tool for cross-generational education and exhibition, commemorating and maintaining this cultural heritage.

The primary focus is to properly inherit and promote Huizhou cultural heritage, with Hui-style residentials serving as a focal point that embodies both the tangible and intangible heritages of habitats and construction techniques.

By including unique visual and experiential elements in the book design, we hope to engage a larger audience to appreciate and comprehend the exterior visuals and extraordinary interior structural logic of this endangered architectural legacy.

We aim to attract a broader range of worldwide educational institutions and museums, through appreciation for Hui-style structures to improve public knowledge and conservation efforts for Hui cultural heritage, boosting cultural diversity and innovation.

Recently, professors at local institutions introduced this book to students in Huizhou about their cultural roots, fostering a strong sense of community identification and continuity. The book has also been featured in mediator-led museum exhibitions and rare book collections at university libraries and college art departments.

The decision to incorporate 3D slicing and acetate fiber printing arose from my desire to bridge the gap between traditional documentation and an immersive, interactive experience. Hui architecture has a layered visual complexity that I felt deserved an equally layered presentation. The 3D slicing effect enabled the conversion of flat, two-dimensional images into panoramic views, allowing readers to explore spatial depths as if they were walking through Hui structures themselves. Meanwhile, acetate fiber printing amplified clarity and depth, creating “windows” into each architectural scene, bringing Hui architecture’s intricate layering and spatial dynamics to life in a way that static imagery couldn’t achieve.

The “window channel” design was inspired by the core principles of Hui architecture itself—balance and integration with the natural surroundings. By transforming 2D illustrations into 3D scenes, this storytelling method invites readers to experience the interconnected spaces of Hui houses in a tactile way. These “windows” introduce the notion of perspective, depth, and spatial continuity, echoing the symbiosis between Hui buildings and the surrounding landscape. This design element enhances the reader's understanding by simulating the architectural flow and spatial rhythm, making it a visceral journey through a typical Hui residential environment.

Researching the fusion of southern lofted structures and northern courtyard layouts helped me frame the artbook’s narrative, allowing for a visual representation that honors both structural components. The architectural storytelling gradually introduces readers to the axial symmetry and sectional design, mirroring the way a visitor would experience these elements in real life. This approach emphasizes the unique juxtaposition in Hui design, merging openness with containment, which became a visual metaphor for the cultural synthesis that defines Hui architecture.