Utopia Wunnhaus by Fei Zhao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award an Sëlwer in Inneraum an Ausstellungsdesign Competition Category.

SëlwerInterieur· 2023

Utopia Wunnhaus

by Fei Zhao

Client: 323 Studio

A' Design Award an Sëlwer Winner in Interieur Category

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Verified Award Winner
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Colors

The Design

About Utopia Wunnhaus

Dat stralend natierlecht Liicht ass d'Quell vun der Form vun dësem Raum. En organeschen, inklusiv Raum war d'Gefill datt Designer wollten kreéieren, sou datt se och vill organesch Raumpraktiken vergläichen, dorënner d'Positionéierung vun de Bauzeechnungen. Den urspréngleche Kellerraum huet d'Halschent vum ganze Gebitt besat, awer déi bestehend Beliichtung am Keller huet de Besëtzer nëmmen erlaabt e bëssen onnëtzlech Plaz draus ze maachen. Fir d'Notzungsquote vum ganzen ënnerierdesche Raum ze verbesseren an d'Beliichtung ze erhéijen, wëll den Designer e fuschneie Konstruktioun ronderëm d'Luucht dobannen kreéieren.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award an Sëlwer

Utopia Wunnhaus ass e Gewënner vum A' Design Award an Sëlwer, enger aussergewéinlech prestigiéiser Unerkennung, déi un Designe vun der héchster Qualitéit, prächteg a beandrockend vergi gëtt. Sëlwer-Gewënner si bemierkenswäert brillant a ganz kreativ Wierker, déi d'erausragend Expertise, d'Talent an d'Schaarfsënnegkeet vun hire Designer weisen. Et gëtt erwaart, datt Utopia Wunnhaus e wonnerbart, mustergëlteg, bemierkenswäert professionellt an déif innovatiivt Wierk ass. Dëst mam Sëlwer ausgezeechent Design ass eng bemierkenswäert, bewonnert Erfindung, déi dozou bäidréit, d'Grenze vun der Konscht, der Wëssenschaft, vum Design an der Technologie ze erweideren. Utopia Wunnhaus ass eng Kreatioun, op déi vill neidesch sinn, déi Wënsch erweckt, positiv Gefiller bréngt an Erstaunen a Wonner erweckt.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: As a narrow north-south facing townhouse, the original building has 4 floors, 2 above ground and 2 below (the basement has a height of 5.5m and can be divided into 2 floors with only a small patio to provide light). Facing south as the main direction of light, it relies on a stairwell to connect the various floors and comes with a lift. After observing the site and realizing that no well landscape was around the site, we decided to make an Inward facing construction within it.
Dimensions & Packaging: Indoor area 420 ㎡
Tags: Organic, light and shadow, lighthearted, sculptural, textural contrasts
Production Technology: The curved wall and the laminated cast-in-place revolving staircase were a very big challenge for this project in terms of landing. First of all, the curved wall is an irregular shape, and the boundary of each floor has different positioning dimensions. In order to keep the errors to a minimum, the builder used ropes to locate the 2 layers connected to the basement at multiple points while positioning according to the drawings, just to ensure the coherence of the curved walls.
For the construction drawings, we refer to the positioning method of Toyo Ito’s construction drawings, the contour grid positioning method.
Design Challenge: Guiding the constructor to land our project, and connecting with the structure and electromechanical team, both are hard nuts for us to crack. There are many first attempts for us, also for our constructor.
Research: We focus on the impact of light on the residential environment, taking sunlight as a case study, by observation of the duration and direction of sunlight at the winter and summer solstices.
Inspiration: The radiant natural light is the source of the form of this space. An organic, inclusive space was the feeling we wanted to create, so we also compared a lot of organic space practices, including the positioning of the construction drawings.
Project Duration: The project started on October 17th 2020 and finished on August 1st 2021 in Zhengzhou, China.
Operation Flow: In terms of functional distribution, we clearly divide the functional areas of each floor, which are both independent and well-connected.
The 1st floor and the 2nd floor underground are the main floors for daily access, serving as public spaces, while the relatively independent 2nd floor serves as residential spaces. Owners also have the need for daily gatherings, so we try to make each functional area larger.The staircase has been redesigned to provide a more comfortable connection of traffic flow between the functional areas on each level.
Patents: Design copyright: 323studio
Team Members: Designer: Ran Chen
Image Credits: Photographic institutions：WMstudio