Press Release
Hang Chen Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Tea Time Cultural Space in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Hang Chen acknowledged for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 22, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category for Tea Time Cultural Space by Hang Chen, designed for WE-Me Group of Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd.. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
About Tea Time Cultural Space
Tea Time is a reimagined tea house in Jianshui Ancient Town, designed to blend tradition with modern aesthetics. It enhances light, airflow, and spatial flow while preserving historical charm. Six immersive tea experiences unfold in a space shaped by copper-toned facades, transparent details, and nature-inspired elements. Water-textured acrylic, glass tiles, and preserved elmwood create a sensory journey, where architecture and nature shape each moment in time.
About Hang Chen
Hang Chen is a national registered urban and rural planner, landscape engineer, and outstanding interior designer in Guangdong Province, China. With a value orientation of "smart construction", he conducts planning and design projects tailored to specific commissions and local conditions in the fields of urban and rural planning, cultural and tourism development, architecture and landscape. His comprehensive practice strives to comply with regional development laws and maximize comprehensive value.
Award Record
This recognition makes Hang Chen a winner of 4 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2022 - 2023 and the 2024 - 2025 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Typical entries include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. The awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/172168
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/172168
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!172168
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/343820
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Tea Time Cultural Space
- Function
- Cultural Space
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Black, Dark Olive Green, Dim Gray, Gray and Dark Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- WE-Me Group of Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd.
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Hang Chen
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #172168
Credits
- Image Credits
- Hang Chen
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Tea Time is a tea house renovation project in Jianshui Ancient Town that seamlessly blends tradition with modern aesthetics. The design enhances natural light, ventilation, and spatial flow while preserving the historical charm of the architecture. Featuring six immersive tea experiences, the space integrates copper-toned facades, transparent glass interfaces, and natural materials. Through thoughtful spatial organization, it creates a serene and engaging environment that embodies the art of tea culture.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the poetic rhythm of time, Tea Time captures the essence of tea drinking as a meditative journey. The space unfolds like a flowing narrative, where light shifts, air circulates, and materials evoke a connection to nature. By merging tradition with modern simplicity, the project transforms tea drinking into a ritual that celebrates slowness, serenity, and the timeless charm of Jianshui’s historic landscape.
- Research
- The design was informed by extensive research into tea rituals, spatial storytelling, and environmental integration. Traditional Jianshui tea houses provided historical context, while modern lighting and airflow strategies ensured functional adaptability. The result is a harmonious blend of past and present, where each cup of tea is experienced as a moment in time.
- Challenge
- Balancing historic preservation with modern usability was a key challenge. The original building lacked sufficient natural light and spatial cohesion. The design solution introduced open interfaces, light-diffusing materials, and strategic airflow enhancements to create an inviting, energy-efficient space where tea culture thrives within a contemporary setting.
- Realization and Technology
- The project utilizes a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern materials: Water-textured acrylic panels and glass tiles enhance natural lighting. Fiberglass and real stone paint sculpt landscape-inspired elements. Preserved elmwood and metal accents balance warmth with structural elegance. These materials create a seamless dialogue between nature, light, and human experience.
- Operation and Interaction
- Tea Time is designed to balance social interaction and personal retreat. The entrance seamlessly guides guests through a visually engaging display, blending the tea house with the cityscape. Inside, a deep balcony connects private and communal spaces, allowing different activities to coexist harmoniously. Optimized airflow and natural light enhance comfort, while interactive design elements encourage engagement. The layout ensures a dynamic yet tranquil experience, where visitors can enjoy tea culture in a thoughtfully curated setting.
- Project Duration and Location
- Location: Yinghui Road, Jianshui Ancient Town, China Completion: 2024
- Specifications
- The design emphasizes spatial fluidity, allowing tea appreciation to unfold organically. Open interfaces enhance airflow, reducing reliance on mechanical ventilation. Carefully placed materials and lighting create a soft, immersive environment that adapts to different times of the day, reinforcing the concept of tea as an experience that evolves with time.
- Keywords
- Interior Design, Cultural Space, Jianshui, Tea House, Flowing Time
