Bronze Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design · 2024
Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book
by Yumeng Li
- A' Design Award 2024 Bronze Winner in Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: International Association of Hui Art & Studies
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 27,004
- Verification code 133B8777FD · Verify this award
About Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book
The art book depicts Hui style architecture, the unique ancient architectural school, and a fading heritage in China that verifies the cultural integration dated back millennia. Each page showcases comprehensive yet digestible information and when overlaid, they transform into a delicate 3D Hui style panorama to attract a broader audience, unveiling not only architectural details with spatial reference and proportionality but also the misty Hui regional culture landscape.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The art book depicts Hui-style architecture, the unique ancient architectural school, and a fading heritage in China that verifies the cultural integration dated back millennia.
Each page showcases comprehensive yet digestible information and when overlaid, they transform into a delicate 3D Hui-style panorama to attract a broader audience, unveiling not only architectural details with spatial reference and proportionality but also the misty Hui regional culture landscape. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Limited edition; Format: 280 mm x 25 mm x 216 mm; Butterfly binding, half frame wire binding insert, die cutting; Artistic texture 160g matte paper, 100g acetate paper, 96g sulfuric acid paper; Silk-screen printing, UV printing
- Tags
- Art book, Heritage Preservation, Educational Tool, Architectural Exhibition, Hui-Style Architecture, 3D Visual Print, International Association of Hui Art Studies, Cultural Heritage Advocacy, Architectural Archaeology
- Production Technology
- Through Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM), including 3D scanning, texture capturing for patterns of wood, stone, and brick carvings of authentic ancient Huizhou residences, depth-layered 2D images are sliced from digital models, and printed onto acetate fiber papers to enhance the visual depth and clarity, forming interactive "windows" with proportions of Hui-style buildings, allowing for a dynamic exploration of architectural details and spatial relationships.
- Design Challenge
- Research indicates that Hui studies, as one of only three prominent local scholarly traditions in China, face risks due to its inland geographical and historical contexts.
Field research shows that Hui architecture as a crucial cultural heritage is fading: Neglect, poor maintenance, and auctions are causing Hui architectural groups to vanish from the misty Huangshan and collective memory. Also, its construction skills, the core intangible cultural heritage, are nearing extinction. - Project Duration
- Launched in Jan 2023 in Boston, prototype bound in Suzhou, China. The project finished in Oct 2023 and was exhibited in HuiZhou Museum, and Bengbu Museum, China.
- Operation Flow
- Upon first glance, a see-through window from the cover to the back attracts readers to Hui-style architecture. As pages turn, iconic sections with narratives and extended details lead readers to a self-paced tour through the building. Layered pages allow users to pause between two sections to observe spatial relationships and different perspectives. This interaction makes ancient, intricate concepts accessible and engaging, fostering a profound impact on spreading Hui cultural heritage.
- Research
- Hui-style architecture is a focal part of Hui cultural heritage, as it embodies both the tangible heritage of habitats and the intangible heritage of construction techniques. Based on architectural analysis, the Hui style is 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, an essential part of the Chinese cultural fabric.
- Inspiration
- This project explores iconic Hui-style architecture's axial symmetry layout and section expansion in depth, which is presented by intricate front views but a uniform side view. So when stacked, the "windows" as depth-layered illustrations with spatial references showing an immersive miniature Hui house, which creates a 3D learning journey, a unique educational and exhibitive tool for preserving and understanding architectural heritage.
Colors of Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book
Design Interview about Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book
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.
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.
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.
We also picture extending efforts in digital heritage beyond just book medium. We are exploring the incorporation of Extended Reality(AR/MR) technologies to create immersive experiences with data that further bring Hui cultural heritage to life. To make the rich history and architecture of the Hui region more accessible and engaging to global audiences through interactive and innovative design platforms.
We also picture extending efforts in digital heritage beyond just book medium. We are exploring the incorporation of Extended Reality(AR/MR) technologies to create immersive experiences with data that further bring Hui cultural heritage to life. To make the rich history and architecture of the Hui region more accessible and engaging to global audiences through interactive and innovative design platforms.
It takes about 10 months. The project finished in Oct 2023 and was exhibited in the Bengbu Museum, visual art departments of local colleges, etc.
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.
My profound appreciation for the rich cultural and historical significance of Hui-style architecture inspired the book's design and style. It serves as a tribute to this unique architectural style, aiming to encapsulate its aesthetic and structural essence.
This book is for a broad audience interested in Hui culture and architecture. The book offers precise Hui-style residential details for museum educators and academic scholars who major in art, archaeology, cultural studies, and history related to Asian humanities. Simultaneously, it serves enthusiasts and visitors of all ages who are keen to learn about Chinese cultural and architectural heritage, as well as the traditional building techniques of the Hui style.
Our design stands out through its unique construction, utilizing transparent acetate pages combined with matte paper to form in-depth "windows" that can be seen through from cover to back. These allow for a natural transformation from 2D views to a 3D panorama of Hui-style architecture when pages are layered.
Furthermore, the use of half-page sulfuric acid paper booklets smartly segments chapters without obstructing the view through the acetate, maintaining the tactile feel of the paper and easing the transition between sections. Enhanced visual contrasts, such as tailored color schemes for cultural landscapes and silhouette inversions, alongside specific architectural motifs related to Huizhou's misty climate, amplify the visual effects.
Furthermore, the use of half-page sulfuric acid paper booklets smartly segments chapters without obstructing the view through the acetate, maintaining the tactile feel of the paper and easing the transition between sections. Enhanced visual contrasts, such as tailored color schemes for cultural landscapes and silhouette inversions, alongside specific architectural motifs related to Huizhou's misty climate, amplify the visual effects.
The name "Hui House" not only encapsulates the immersive experience of the human activities reflected in these traditional Hui residential clusters but also embodies the educational purpose of preserving the intangible heritage of Hui-style construction techniques. Additionally, the name phonetically resembles the word for "gathering together," symbolizing the union of family, which is a central theme in the grand familial residences of Huizhou. This title highlights the importance of family in Huizhou culture and underscores the urgent need to preserve this ancient, fading heritage from disappearing into the mists of Huangshan and collective memory.
The most unique aspect of this design is its integration of physical and visual interactivity: through the use of HBIM-scanned architectural analysis and specialized printing techniques, depth-layered illustrations on acetate fiber paper transform flat pages into a rich, three-dimensional experience.
This allows readers to explore Hui-style architecture in a manner that is not limited by geographic location or the physical completeness of the structures. Each reader can navigate through the book according to their own interests, constructing personal narratives and gaining a clear understanding of the architectural structure, spatial relationships, and cultural context without following a predetermined storyline or path typically required in digital or physical tours.
This self-directed exploration enriches the reader's experience, offering multiple perspectives and a deeper appreciation of the architectural and cultural heritage.
This allows readers to explore Hui-style architecture in a manner that is not limited by geographic location or the physical completeness of the structures. Each reader can navigate through the book according to their own interests, constructing personal narratives and gaining a clear understanding of the architectural structure, spatial relationships, and cultural context without following a predetermined storyline or path typically required in digital or physical tours.
This self-directed exploration enriches the reader's experience, offering multiple perspectives and a deeper appreciation of the architectural and cultural heritage.
This project involved collaboration with masters in Hui-style architecture, particularly the inheritors of intangible cultural heritage in traditional residential construction techniques and woodcarving, stone carving, and brick carving. Besides, we worked closely with scholars specializing in ancient Chinese architecture, local historians who were the editors of regional chronicles, and printing experts. Each team member brought valuable technical expertise and deep knowledge from their respective fields.
Technology is critical for producing new designs and accurate spatial intricacies of Hui-style buildings using structural analysis and other data. It allows us to share this historic cultural treasure in an instructive style that readers may explore at their own pace.
Yes, extensive architectural research and on-site surveys are the cornerstone of the project's success, which included digital heritage methodologies such as Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM). The depth-layered images were properly sliced from the models, allowing for the dynamic study of architectural features and spatial relationships, providing a more authentic cultural experience.
One of the most difficult tasks was converting the complex notion of Hui-style building into a physical and exhibitive educational tool that is comprehensive yet attractive. This requires original design and precise execution, resulting in an interactive and unique experience throughout every page-turning.
The decision was motivated by a desire to gain international recognition for Hui architectural heritage and to showcase the potential of design as a medium for cultural preservation.
This project deepened my understanding of cultural preservation challenges and enhanced my skills to merge digital heritage concepts with contemporary design practices, enriching new mediums of natural and cultural heritage conservation.
I would like to highlight the broader cultural and educational impact of this project, which goes beyond mere architectural appreciation to fostering a deeper understanding of cultural diversity and history.
I hope you've enjoyed exploring my work and found it insightful! More related topics and in-depth research about Hui culture will be updated by the non-profit organization: iHui ( the International Association of Hui Art & Studies) at http://www.ihui.org/.
I hope you've enjoyed exploring my work and found it insightful! More related topics and in-depth research about Hui culture will be updated by the non-profit organization: iHui ( the International Association of Hui Art & Studies) at http://www.ihui.org/.
Grand Interview about Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book
The concept for the Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book began as an idea to not only document but to immerse readers in Hui architecture’s unique spatial depth and cultural richness. Inspired by the layered beauty of Hui-style courtyards and the fog-laden atmosphere of the Huizhou region, I envisioned each page as a “window” into this intricate world. From initial sketches to the final execution, our approach evolved through blending Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) with artistic design, transforming each layer of the book into a small-scale, interactive 3D panorama. This tactile approach allows readers to experience Hui architecture as a journey—revealing the intricate carvings, structural flow, and cultural symbols page by page.
Combining the precision of Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) with an engaging visual format was a foundational challenge. Our task was to transform raw 3D scans into accessible, layered illustrations that stay true to the architectural origins of Hui structures, preserving details from wood carvings to spatial relationships. We crafted a unique “window channel” effect, creating a tranquil, miniature Hui residence veiled in mist with layered acetate printing, while large-scale matte art papers unveil more detailed documentary elements—such as craftsmanship, furniture, structural components, and spatial functions. Each layer printing, from artistic paper to embedded acetate, is thoughtfully coordinated to stand alone yet align as a cohesive visual journey, where each acetate sheet complements the corresponding matte layer in flow and density. By balancing accuracy with visual appeal, we achieved an artistic representation that maintains historical fidelity while drawing readers into the layered beauty of Hui architecture.
Choosing acetate fiber papers and specialized printing techniques was key to creating the book’s immersive experience. I experimented with various materials to achieve a subtle, almost ethereal transparency that could echo the atmospheric depth of Hui architecture. Acetate fiber allowed us to present layered scenes where transparency gives way to shadowed recesses, just like the courtyards of Hui houses. Silk-screen and UV printing techniques added high-definition detail without compromising this delicate layering. This combination achieves a harmonious balance, bringing the architectural precision and sensory experience of Hui homes to life with every turn of the page.
The Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book seamlessly combines archival documentation with interactive storytelling, designed to ensure its place as a collector’s edition and a versatile educational tool. This format allows the book to serve a wide range of purposes—introducing Hui architecture to children, enthusiasts, and scholars alike, while also functioning as an accessible catalog for libraries, architectural firms, museums, and shared spaces. Its layered design and "window channel" effect invite readers at various stages of interest or expertise to explore and appreciate Hui architecture in a way that evolves over time. For a young reader or beginner, the tactile appeal of layered pages and immersive spatial design sparks curiosity and engagement. As readers grow or deepen their knowledge, the book’s printed details—such as material textures, construction components, and architectural insights invite more focused study. This format turns heritage from a static record into a dynamic experience, encouraging readers to approach architecture as a journey of both emotion and discovery. In a world where heritage can feel distant or intangible, this collectible book serves as a curated stage, offering a multi-layered, immersive approach that redefines how we connect with and preserve cultural legacies.
Hui architecture is inherently a cultural synthesis of Central Plains civilization with ancient Yue culture, and the historical blend guided our emphasis on axial symmetry and sectional layering in both visual and structural elements, aligning naturally with the architectural forms shaped by these cultural influences—minimalistic yet distinctive. I wanted readers to feel how each architectural feature, whether the courtyards, lofts, or intricate carvings, embodies this fusion of cultural heritage.
The idea of layering “windows” within the book was inspired by the architectural discovery process within a Hui residence. Walking through these homes is an invitation to look deeper, to pause, and to find connections between open and enclosed spaces. I wanted readers to experience that same sense of unfolding as they move through the book. Each layer offers a self-paced journey, allowing readers to explore spatial relationships from different vantage points and appreciate the intricate details that define Hui architecture. This approach makes the act of “reading” the book as engaging as a real architectural tour.
Our collaboration with the International Association of Hui Art & Studies and subsequent exhibitions at HuiZhou Museum and Bengbu Museum validated the educational potential of the Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book in a profound way. These exhibitions endorsed the book as a valuable tool in raising awareness for Hui architectural heritage. By engaging museum visitors—especially children and students—the book extends beyond a simple visual guide to become a hands-on, exploratory medium that fosters curiosity and appreciation for this cultural legacy. This partnership has amplified our reach, encouraging more inclusive cultural preservation efforts and inspiring future educational initiatives.
Achieving architectural precision while crafting an engaging narrative demanded a carefully orchestrated use of Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM). Using 3D scanning, we meticulously captured every detail of historic Hui structures—original proportions, textures, and spatial relationships—to create accurate digital reconstructions. This process allowed us to authentically layer architectural elements, maintaining fidelity to the dimensions and spatial flow that define Hui-style design. Integrating these precise models into the book’s design enables readers to experience Hui architecture in an intricate, three-dimensional form. Each layered, translucent page brings to life the enchanting spatial depth, intricate wood and stone carvings, and culturally rich layout unique to Hui homes. Through the tactile, stacked-paper effect, we transformed the static into immersive, achieving a dynamic balance between historical accuracy and a visually captivating journey into Hui heritage.
I hope that the Hui House Architectural Exhibition Book resonates with or inspires more designers and cultural organizations to explore diverse methods of documentation, particularly when it comes to preserving and presenting endangered traditions through a modern, innovative lens. Capturing and sharing these legacies is challenging but profoundly meaningful, as every effort contributes to the safeguarding of cultural heritage. By demonstrating how immersive design can convey historical details and cultural narratives, this project aims to foster broader participation in heritage preservation. Through the combination of innovative techniques and technology with traditional architectural themes, I hope it can encourage similar preservation initiatives across the globe.
This recognition enhances its potential to reach new audiences and institutions committed to cultural preservation. The award validates our efforts and encourages continued innovation in promoting Hui architecture, helping us to further our mission of safeguarding and sharing this unique cultural heritage.