Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii by Cao Sun

Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii by Cao Sun is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha in Nhazi Ime Ụlọ na Ngosipụta Competition Category.

ỌlaọchaIme Ụlọ· 2026

Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii

by Cao Sun

Client: Nova Space Design

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha Winner in Ime Ụlọ Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii

Xiyuan Teahouse bụ ime ụlọ tii nke dị n'akụkụ West Lake na Hangzhou, China. Oghere ahụ nke ruru square mita 1500 gụnyere ikpo tii etiti e buliri elu, ọnụ ụlọ nzuzo asatọ, steepu ọla kọpa e mere ka ihe ọkpụkpụ nwere ihe njide aka e ji osisi ndụ ndụ chọọ mma, na ihe mmiri e jikọtara ya na odida obodo ahụ. A na-eji osisi veneers e ji aka mee na mgbidi plasta nwere ụcha dị nro n'ebe niile. Windo nwere okpokolo agba e mere ka ọ dabara na-emeghe echiche gaa n'ọdọ mmiri ahụ. Ụzọ njegharị gburugburu na-eduzi ndị ọbịa nwayọọ nwayọọ site n'ọnụ ụlọ ndị ahụ. Nhazi a na-akọwaghachi mma nka ọdịnala Ọwụwa Anyanwụ maka ọnọdụ ile ọbịa nke oge a.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha

Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị dị n'ọkwa kachasị elu, mara mma ma na-eju anya. Ndị meriri na Ọlaọcha bụ ọrụ na-egbu maramara nke ukwuu ma dị oke nzụlite nke na-egosi ọmarịcha ihe ọmụma, talent na nghọta nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii ga-abụ ọrụ dị ịtụnanya, ihe nlereanya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị omimi n'ihe ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha bụ ihe e mepụtara dị oke ịrịba ama, nke a na-eto nke na-erite uru ma na-ebuga oke nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ n'ihu. Xiyuan Teahouse Nhazi Ime Ụlọ Tii bụ ihe e kere eke ọtụtụ ndị na-ekwo ekworo ya nke na-akpali ọchịchọ, na-eweta mmetụta ọma ma na-akpali ịtụnanya.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This project reinterprets Oriental aesthetics through modern spatial language, blending symbolic elements, nature inspired materials, and layered spatial planning. Located by West Lake, it integrates landscape, function, and narrative to provide guests with a serene, immersive cultural experience. Its sculptural staircase, window-framed views, and poetic detailing create a unique sense of ritual and emotional resonance.
Dimensions & Packaging: Total built area: 1500 square meters. Key spatial components include an elevated central tea platform, eight distinctive private rooms, a sculptural bronze staircase, and a landscape integrated water feature. Window systems are custom framed to optimize views and natural lighting. Materials are chosen to enhance symbolic and sensory experience.
Tags: Oriental Aesthetics, West Lake, Tea Culture, Immersive Space, Cultural Memory, Landscape Integration, Bronze Staircase, Handcrafted Materials, Poetic Space, Spiritual Retreat
Production Technology: The teahouse features handcrafted wood veneers, bronze clad spiral stairs with inlaid greenwood railings, artisanal light toned plaster walls, and custom crystal acrylic tea sculptures. Spatial planning follows a loop circulation strategy, optimizing lake views and operational efficiency while reinforcing the natural and cultural dialogue of the interior.
Design Challenge: The core challenge lay in reinterpreting traditional Eastern aesthetics in a modern hospitality context without resorting to pastiche. Balancing symbolic depth with operational needs, integrating natural and built landscapes, and addressing tourist engagement within a historically significant setting required careful design logic and cultural sensitivity.
Research: Design research began with site analysis and historical study of Wang Yutai Tea House and literati traditions. Methodology included archival review, interviews, and spatial simulations. Participants included hotel operators, historians, and tea masters. Insights informed symbolic design, spatial zoning, and sensory elements. Results strengthened cultural resonance and guest engagement.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by the century old heritage of the Wang Yutai Tea House and the refined literati lifestyle of West Lake's past. From the "West Lake Moon Gatherings" to the tranquil tea rituals, the project revives cultural memories through spatial storytelling, aiming to reconnect modern life with traditional Eastern ideals of beauty, balance, and contemplation.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2024 in Hangzhou, China and finished in October 2024.
Operation Flow: The design encourages slow paced, reflective engagement. Visitors enter through a symbolic gateway and follow a circular path that reveals lake views, private rooms, and shared tea platforms. Seating and height variations allow layered interaction with the scenery. The flow fosters both intimacy and openness, enhancing spiritual and sensory experiences.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.