Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang

Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Hao in Hoʻolālā Loko Hale a me Hōʻike Competition Category.

HaoLoko Hale· 2026

Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho

by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang

Client: Harbin Institute of Technology Sun Cheng Young Scientist Studio

A' Design Award Hao Winner in Loko Hale Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho

He hale kikowaena pāpāho ʻo Lilac Reborn i hana ʻia ma o ka hoʻoponopono hou ʻana i kahi hōkele haʻalele ʻia ma Harbin, Kina. Ua hoʻoulu ʻia ka hoʻolālā e ka pua lilaka kūloko. ʻElua wahi kaʻana like e hoʻokumu ana i ka piko: ʻo ka Hale Lilaka, me ka mālamalama kūlohelohe a me kahi hana wai, a me ka Hale Hoʻōla Hou, i kūkulu ʻia me nā ʻōpala kūkulu i hana hou ʻia. Hoʻokomo nā pā ākea pālua i ka mālamalama o ke ao i kanaiwakūmālua pākēneka o nā wahi hana. Ua hoʻohana ʻia ka puna kīkoʻo i hana hou ʻia, nā papa pale wela kiʻekiʻe ka hana, a me nā pena kūpono i ke kaiapuni. Hiki i nā paia hoʻoneʻe ke hoʻololi i nā lumi i mau hale haʻiʻōlelo a i ʻole nā wahi hana.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Hao

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho i ka A' Design Award Hao, he ʻike hoʻohanohano i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā maikaʻi e hoʻokō ana i nā koi ʻoihana a ʻoihana hana i manaʻo ʻia mai nā mea hoʻokumu i hana maikaʻi ʻia. Hōʻike nā lanakila Hao i ka mākau nui, ka loea kiʻekiʻe, ka ʻike akamai a me ka hiki hana noʻeau o ka poʻe i hana iā lākou. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho he mea hoʻokumu i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia e pono a hou. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Hao e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka ʻoihana a loaʻa nā ʻano ʻenehana mākaukau i hui pū ʻia me ka ʻike hana a me ka makakoho. Mahalo ʻia ka hoʻolālā Lilac Reborn Ka Hoʻolālā ʻIloko o ka Hale Kikowaena Pāpāho no kona nānā pono a ua hoʻolālā ʻia e hāʻawi i nā hoʻomaikaʻi ola e kōkua ai i ka hana ʻana i ka honua i wahi maikaʻi aku.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This project renovates an abandoned hotel into a media center within a tight budget, marking a first for ultra-low-energy renovation in a frigid region. Drawing on the metaphor of media flowers blooming in a palace, two core shared spaces were designed: the Lilac Hall, featuring natural light and a water feature, and the Regeneration Hall, built with recycled construction waste. Dual atriums ensure indoor warmth and brightness while meeting the three-star green building standard and LEED Platinum requirements.
Dimensions & Packaging: Total area: 7,000 square meters
Tags: Building renewal, Computational design, Media office building, Designer-AI collaborative design
Production Technology: AI computational design was used to optimize spatial curvature, and same-source recycling technology achieved resource reuse. Fifteen ultra-low-energy technologies were integrated, such as enhanced thermal insulation and passive daylighting. Building performance simulation verified a 25 percent reduction in energy consumption and an improvement in the useful daylight illuminance index. Modular assembly was adopted using recycled concrete, high-performance insulation panels, and eco-friendly coatings.
Design Challenge: The core challenge was realizing ultra-low-energy renovation of an old building in frigid Harbin, while balancing historical fabric preservation, media hub functional demands, and the implementation of AI-driven collaborative design. External Obstacles: Sparse technical data on the renewal of old buildings in cold regions, insufficient low-temperature resistance of recycled materials, and strict fire codes restricting structural modifications. Internal Conflicts: Bridging the gap between AI design and traditional construction practices, and reconciling public accessibility (for media lounges) with the need for closed office spaces. Solutions: Adopted multi-objective optimization + BIM technology, customized thermal insulation systems, recycled material modification, and the TOPSIS method to balance regulatory requirements, performance indicators, and functional needs.
Research: This applied research explores AI-driven ultra-low-energy renovation for old buildings in frigid climates. Using deep learning and multi-objective optimization, the study balanced historical preservation with media function requirements. Tools including BIM and on-site sensors verified the results. The project achieved 25 percent lower energy consumption and natural light coverage for 92 percent of the building. This validates the application of computational design in urban renewal, supporting carbon goals and setting a benchmark for smart, green infrastructure in cold regions.
Inspiration: Inspired by the lilac of Harbin, this project focuses on the green renewal of abandoned buildings. It addresses the gap in ultra-low-energy renovation for regions with temperatures reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. Driven by the demand for shared media spaces, it integrates local culture with eco-technologies. Through artificial intelligence computational design and same-source recycling of construction debris, the project reflects a vision of a green, tech-driven, and art-integrated media hub.
Project Duration: Duration: 2023~2025;
Location: Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Operation Flow: The media hub is fully accessible to the public. Visitors enter the Lilac Hall for social gatherings, media displays, or community events. Natural light illuminates 92 percent of functional areas year-round, significantly reducing artificial lighting needs. The specialized insulation system maintains a comfortable indoor temperature of 20 to 24 degrees Celsius even when it is minus 30 degrees Celsius outside. Modular spaces can be rearranged into lecture halls or workstations using simple movable partitions.
Team Members: Studio Director: Cheng Sun
Lead Architect: Dagang Qu
Architect: Xi Huang
Architect: Xiufeng Li
Architect: Yue Wang
Architect: Wanying Zheng
Architect: Xumiao Guo
Architect: Jian Zhang
Interior Designer: Guoliang Xu
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Media Hub Renovation, 2025.
Image #2: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Media Hub and Office Space, 2025.
Image #3: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Media Hub Transportation Core, 2025.
Image #4: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Waterscape Bar Transformed, 2025.
Image #5: Photographer Xi Huang (CMG Project Team), Regeneration Hall (recycled construction waste), 2025.