Awakening of Insects is a private residence designed in Shenzhen, China. The home has a gross floor area of 150 square meters and is arranged on two levels. Light-permeable materials, informed by traditional latticework, let natural light reach deep into the interior. A post-installed floor slab and a reconfigured staircase support smoother vertical circulation while preserving ceiling height. Furniture dimensions, staircase details and decorative patterns are custom made. The scheme combines Eastern spatial hierarchy with Western structural principles.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Emphasizedinnovation in daylight optimization("light-permeable materials", "deep natural light penetration")
Highlighteduser-centric circulation("streamlined structural planning", "smoother vertical circulation")
Stressedcultural hybridity("East-meets-West elements", "cross-cultural dialogue")
Balancedtechnical precision("proportional dialogue", "topological refinements") withemotional resonance("poetic, culturally resonant habitats") - Dimensions & Packaging
- The building has a gross floor area of 150 square meters and is divided into two levels.
- Tags
- Private Residence Design, Retro Style, Eclecticism, Home Furnishings, Residence
- Production Technology
- This project incorporates specially customized elements across material selection, dimensional specifications, and stylistic treatments to ensure optimal adaptation to the spatial requirements. Key components such as the configuration of staircases, dimensions of furniture, and patterns and proportions of decorative artwork are meticulously tailored to harmonize with the architectural environment.
- Design Challenge
- This project involves the construction of a post-installed floor slab, where determining the compatibility between structural configuration, elevation positioning, functional requirements, and spatial perception presents a significant challenge. During the slab construction process, it is critical to maximize spatial ceiling height while integrating lighting systems, water supply pipes, and sewage drainage pipelines. These installations must be meticulously planned during the structural renovation phase. Additionally, comprehensive coordination of detailed specifications—including slab formwork design, material selection, and utility routing—must be finalized during preliminary planning stages to ensure seamless execution and optimal spatial performance.
- Project Duration
- The project commenced in Shenzhen, China in August 2023 and concluded in November 2024.
- Research
- This project aims to explore the integration of design languages across diverse cultural contexts and historical eras within the Chinese context. While there is a growing preference among young Chinese for retro aesthetics, particularly French-inspired styles, our design philosophy prioritizes a contemporary exploration rooted in China's current cultural landscape. By seamlessly integrating modern design principles with traditional Chinese cultural elements and drawing on the strengths of Western influences, we seek to develop a cohesive design language that resonates with China's unique sociocultural identity and spatial narratives.
- Inspiration
- This project draws inspiration from the interplay between cultural heritage and technological innovation. Motivated by the need to revitalize traditional craftsmanship in contemporary contexts, the design reinterprets regional spatial paradigms through modern structural logic. The spatial narrative emerges from reconciling dualities: light permeability informed by vernacular latticework, fluid circulation reimagining ceremonial pathways, and material dialogues bridging artisan techniques with parametric precision. By synthesizing Eastern spatial hierarchy with Western tectonic principles, the scheme transforms functional constraints into poetic spatial experiences, proposing cross-cultural sustainability for urban dwellings.
- Image Credits
- Picture 1-5:Photographer KaiFeng Zhu 2025
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