Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj by Zehua Zhang

Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Tooj in Tsim Vaj Tsev, Tsev thiab Qauv Tsev Competition Category.

ToojVaj Tsev· 2026

Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

A' Design Award Tooj Winner in Vaj Tsev 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 Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj

Resurgence yog ib lub tsev teev ntuj tshiab hauv Altadena uas teb rau cov kev xav txog kev tsim kho dua tshiab tom qab hluav taws kub hav zoov. Qhov kev tsim qauv no siv cov roob puag ncig los ua tus qauv ntawm cov duab ncaj nraim thiab kev txaug kos. Concrete, iav, thiab cov ntsa nkaus muaj ntoo dej txhawb nqa ua rau cov chaw sab hauv, nqa hnub qub tuaj thiab tsim cov chaw nyob tus yees. Qhov project no muab cov chaw teev ntuj los sib xyaw nrog cov chaw pab zej zog, muab cov chaw rau kev coj noj coj ua ntawm sab ntsuj plig thiab kev sib cuam tshuam ntawm neeg. Nws ua pov thawj rau qhov chaw hauv zos txawm tias txais tos ntau yam kev ua ub no ntawm zej zog.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Tooj

Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj yog tus yeej ntawm A' Design Award Tooj, ib qho kev lees paub muaj meej mom heev uas muab rau cov qauv tsim tshwj xeeb uas txawv los ntawm kev tsim tshiab, kev txawj tsim thiab kev ntse. Cov neeg yeej Tooj yog cov khoom muaj txuj ci heev thiab tsim tshiab heev uas ua pov thawj txog kev paub ntau, kev xav thiab kev txawj ua ntawm cov kws tsim qauv. Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj xav tias yuav yog ib qho khoom uas neeg hwm, qhuas thiab hlub, uas tshaj lij heev thiab tsim tshiab. Cov qauv tsim yeej A' Design Award Tooj no siv cov kev coj ua zoo tshaj plaws ntawm kev kos duab, kev tshawb fawb, kev tsim qauv thiab thev naus laus zis thiab zoo heev vim nws saib xyuas cov ntsiab lus. Resurgence Dej Num Tseem Ceev: Tsev Teev Ntuj ua tau raws li cov kev xav tau zoo kawg, kov cov kev xav, ntxias cov kev xav thiab txhawb kev xav paub.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Resurgence is a contemporary church in Altadena, conceived as a spiritual and cultural catalyst after the wildfire. Inspired by surrounding mountain ridges, its sculpted concrete form rises vertically toward light-filled skylights, expressing renewal. A skylight atrium and courtyard weave nature, light, and community together, uniting sacred worship and civic life in a resilient beacon of collective healing and hope.
Dimensions & Packaging: Single story building with overall dimensions of 45 meters in width, 45 meters in depth, and 18 meters in height.
Tags: Community renewal, cultural architecture, fluid form, concrete and light interplay, atrium with skylight, courtyard garden
Production Technology: Materiality and light shape the design. Concrete as the primary material, conveys weight and dignity while its smooth surfaces create a clean, harmonious space. A skylight courtyard and meditation garden establish a quiet dialogue between architecture and nature. Glass curtain walls guide daylight into the interior, forming a sacred, serene atmosphere. As light moves through the vertical spaces, it brings a continuous sense of ceremony and spiritual tension.
Design Challenge: The project faced the challenge of balancing spiritual, social, and cultural needs after wildfire loss. Internally, it required understanding Altadena’s history, community trauma, and collective memory. Externally, constraints included building codes, material limits, daylighting technology, and construction feasibility. Overcoming these involved iterative modeling, community feedback, and innovative use of concrete and glass to create a resilient, meaningful, and functional design.
Research: Type of Research: Applied architectural and social research. Objectives: Explore architecture’s role in post-wildfire community renewal. Methodology: Community engagement, iterative modeling. Tools: Site analysis, surveys, models, 3D simulations. Participants: Residents, church leaders, community groups. Results and Insights: Mountain-inspired forms, light, and open spaces foster spiritual and social connection. Impact: Strengthens cohesion, cultural life, and human-centered design practices.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by Altadena’s post-wildfire recovery and the site’s mountainous landscape. I studied topography, light behavior, and community rebuilding models to shape a form that abstracts surrounding ridges into a vertical, light-filled sanctuary. Research into trauma-informed spaces and passive daylighting informed the atrium, courtyard, and concrete massing, creating a resilient structure that fosters healing, unity, and spiritual renewal.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2025 and was completed in December 2025
Operation Flow: This project operates through spatial flow and light manipulation. Its atrium and skylights transform daylight into dynamic patterns, guiding movement and fostering contemplation. Interaction occurs as visitors move between worship, community, and meditation spaces, experiencing shifts in scale, light, and material. Key frames include entrance, atrium, courtyard, and sanctuary. By harmonizing architecture, light, and landscape, it enhances spiritual and social engagement.
Team Members: Zehua Zhang