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.

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.

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.

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.