Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit

Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Bronce in Diseño de Patrimonio Cultural Competition Category.

BroncePatrimonio Cultural· 2021

Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong

by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit

Client: Creative Protyping Unit

A' Design Award de Bronce Winner in Patrimonio Cultural Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong

Como primer proyecto de comisión de la serie Huotang para la etnia Dong en el condado de Guangnan, Guangxi de China, Moonlight Huotang está dirigido particularmente al grupo de aldeanos que llevan adelante la cultura musical Pipa. La forma convexa única del techo mejora la sensación de reunión en respuesta a un mejor ambiente acústico, mientras que la cámara de entrada proporciona un espacio multifunción como vestuario, sala de preparación de alimentos y sala de confesión. Es parte de una regeneración rural impulsada por la cultura que pretende reactivar la economía de un condado cuyas generaciones jóvenes se han trasladado a áreas urbanas más grandes.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronce

Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong ha ganado el A' Design Award de Bronce, un reconocimiento sumamente prestigioso concedido a diseños sobresalientes que se distinguen por su creatividad, ingenio y astucia. Los ganadores de Bronce son artefactos ampliamente hábiles y sorprendentemente creativos que acreditan la vasta experiencia, imaginación e ingeniosidad de sus diseñadores. Se espera que Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong sea un objeto muy apreciado, admirado y querido, notablemente profesional e innovador. Este diseño ganador del A' Design Award de Bronce incorpora las mejores prácticas del arte, la ciencia, el diseño y la tecnología, y es excelente por su atención al detalle. Moonlight Huotang La Chimenea Para La Etnia Dong satisface espléndidamente las necesidades, toca los deseos, encanta los sentimientos y atrae la curiosidad.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Moonlight Huotang is a fireplace for the Dong ethnicity located in Guangnan county, Guangxi province of China. It is the first commission project as part of the Huotang series and particularly for the group of villagers who carry on the Pipa music culture.  The unique convex shape of the ceiling enhances the sense of gathering in response to a better acoustic environment while the entry chamber provides a multifunction space as a changing room, food preparation room and confession room.
Dimensions & Packaging: main building in 5m diameter circular shape, plot size: 6m Width x 8m Depth
Tags: Community Centre, Cultural Regeneration, Fireplace, Huotang, Dong Ethnicity
Production Technology: Stone foundation, brick wall plus straw and clay plaster on the surface, CNC cut timber roof structure
Design Challenge: As a cultural regeneration project, the challenge was to enhance the local crafts such wood construction and straw weaving techniques while bringing a contemporary architectural understanding to the local community. To ensure its buildability by local craftsmen, wood construction was chosen aided by CNC fabrication to realise a unique geometry for the Huotang typology. Wall finishes and internal doors also utilise the straw weaving techniques to showcase the Dong culture. By doing so, the new Huotang seeks to ensure a contemporary relevance for the Dong culture.
Research: Dong ethnicity has been rooted in the remote rural mountain area and increasingly disconnected from the fast-moving cities. It is part of a rural culture regeneration project as an architectural acupuncture which intends to revive the economy of a county whose young generations have moved to larger urban areas. By building specific industrial structures and social projects in relation to the Dong culture and economy, it hopes to boom in the tourism industry for a better connection to the outside world.
Inspiration: The inspiration comes from local traditional timber construction house and craft techniques developed by the Dong ethnicity. The circular typology has been chosen due to the form of gathering around the fireplace as well as acting as a small theatre for performing traditional Pipa music instrument. This has been the form of their life for many generations.
Project Duration: Permanent, completion in June 2021
Operation Flow: The Huotang plays an important role in the daily life of the Dong community. As a forum, it is a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, leisure and dinner. Deeply integrated into Dong’s lives, it is their second home. Moonlight Huotang proposal is for up to 25 people who can carry on the folk music culture to the next generations as well as a display of Dong culture for foreign tourists.
Team Members: Architect:William Hailiang Chen
Architectural Assistant: Shoujian Eng
Structural Engineer: XinY structural consultants
Acoustic Consultant: Zhu Heng