The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design by Qian Zhen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Competition Category.
IronInterior· 2025
The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design
by Qian Zhen
A' Design Award Winner in Interior Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #171233The Design
About The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design
The exhibition space design of The Joy of Swimming Fish matches the space design with the poetic and logical debate and the thinking mode with romantic style in the ancient Chinese philosophy story Pond Dialogue, extracts "the joy of swimming fish as the concept of the space design. The uniqueness of the exhibition space lies in its profound cultural heritage and the perfect integration of modern design. By employing flowing curves and dynamic spatial structures, the design aims to simulate the state of fish swimming freely in water, creating a lively and poetic atmosphere.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award
The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design is an Iron A' Design Award winner, a prestigious recognition granted to good designs that meet the professional and industrial requirements expected from well-designed creations. Iron winners demonstrate great skill, high specialization, expert understanding, and creative capacity of their creators. The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished creation that is practical and innovative. This Iron A' Design Award-winning design integrates industry best practices and has competent technical characteristics linked with know-how and talent. The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design is respected for its thoroughness and is designed to provide quality of life improvements that help make the world a better place.
Where to Get It
Conceptual Exhibition and Interior Design Services
We create immersive exhibition and interior spaces that blend Eastern philosophy with contemporary design. Our award-winning approach transforms cultural narratives into spatial experiences. From conceptual galleries to commercial interiors, we bring poetic depth and innovative thinking to every project.
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Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
Openness and fluidity, inspired by a dialogue from Zhuangzi by the pond, expressing a philosophical idea of transcending worldly concerns.
What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
How to express a philosophical idea through space? First, I need to understand what that philosophy conveys—is it about the relationship between self and the world, or a different way of perceiving it? What I aim to achieve is the process of reflection itself.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
I want to turn it into a physical model and place it at my workplace; I don’t have grander ambitions beyond that.
Grand Interview
Your innovative integration of the ancient Chinese philosophical story 'Pond Dialogue' into The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design raises intriguing questions about cultural heritage in modern spaces - could you elaborate on how this narrative shaped your spatial design decisions?
The core of the story, and my interpretation of the Pond Dialogue, involves a collision of emotional and rational thinking. This translates into different entry approaches to the space, creating varied experiences within the same environment.
The flowing curves and dynamic structures in The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design create a powerful sense of movement - what specific architectural elements did you employ to simulate the feeling of fish swimming freely in water?
I incorporated extensive curved partitions and irregular lines to mimic the trajectories of fish in water. Paired with translucent dividers, the overlapping effect simulates the projected interplay of fish swimming freely.
The dimensions of The Joy Of Swimming Fish Exhibition Space Design (21.5 meters length, 8.2 meters height, and 13.3 meters width) present interesting spatial challenges - how did these proportions influence your approach to creating harmony between the rectangular glass exterior and the fluid interior forms?
This space is larger than my previous works, especially in terms of height. I divided the space into two levels, leaving a significant open atrium in the middle, as fish can swim at any depth and move up or down freely. I also incorporated many fluid elements to create an airy atmosphere. The rectangular glass exterior is crucial for showcasing the interior, so I opted for gradually widening windows to spark curiosity from outside.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The exhibition space design of "The Joy of Swimming Fish" matches the space design with the poetic and logical debate and the thinking mode with romantic style in the ancient Chinese philosophy story "Pond Dialogue",It extracts "the joy of swimming fish" as the concept of the space design. The uniqueness of the exhibition space lies in its profound cultural heritage and the perfect integration of modern design.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The design is situated within a rectangular glass structure, aimed at highlighting the curved characteristics of the interior space and enhancing its breathability. The building comprises a first floor and a second floor, with dimensions of 21.5 meters in length, 8.2 meters in height, and 13.3 meters in width.Site area：285.95 sqm
- Tags
- Fluidity, Pond Dialogue, Space, Philosophical Thought,Nature
- Production Technology
- By employing flowing curves and dynamic spatial structures, the design aims to simulate the state of fish swimming freely in water, creating a lively and poetic atmosphere.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge lies in how to express the essence of the story, depict the debate process between Zhuangzi and Huizi, while also ensuring the practicality of the space.
- Research
- When I am in this space, how can I perceive the joy of the fish, both as the fish swimming below and as the observer above, thus achieving a moment of unity between myself and the surroundings?
- Inspiration
- Huizi said,'You are not a fish; how do you know what constitutes the enjoyment of fishes?' Zhuangzi rejoined, 'You are not I. How do you know that I do not know what constitutes the enjoyment of fishes?'
- Project Duration
- The project started in October 2021 in Shanghai and finished in June 2023.
- Operation Flow
- In the concept of "the joy of swimming fish," the verb "swim" not only refers to the activity of the fish but also connects the interaction and communication between the two observers. This allows visitors to not only appreciate the art but also to profoundly reflect on the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as the individual and society, symbolizing the harmony between nature and life. By integrating the Eastern philosophical concepts of harmony between humanity and nature, and dialectical unity, it creates an environment that embodies both aesthetic and educational significance.
- Patents
- For copyrights: "Copyrights belong to Qian Zhen, 2021."
- Image Credits
- All Images Photographer :Qian Zhen
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