Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit

Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Bronze in Patrimòni Cultural Competition Category.

BronzePatrimòni Cultural· 2021

Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong

by William Chen - Creative Prototyping Unit

Client: Creative Protyping Unit

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Patrimòni Cultural Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong

Coma primièr projècte de comanda de la seria Huotang per l'etnia Dong dins lo canton de Guangnan, Guangxi de China, Moonlight Huotang es particularament destinat al grop de vilatjans que perpètuan la cultura musicala del Pipa. La forma convèxa unica del plafond renforça lo sens de reünion en responsa a un environament acostic melhorat, mentre que la cambra d'entrada fornís un espaci multifonccion coma vestiari, cambra de preparacion dels aliments e cambra de confession. Fa part d'una regeneracion rurala menenada per la cultura que vol reviscolar l'economia d'un canton dont las joves generacions son partidas cap a de zonas urbanas mai grandas.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. Moonlight Huotang Fogal per l'Etnia Dong satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Moonlight Huotang is a fireplace for the Dong ethnicity located in Guangnan county, Guangxi province of China. It is the first commission project as part of the Huotang series and particularly for the group of villagers who carry on the Pipa music culture.  The unique convex shape of the ceiling enhances the sense of gathering in response to a better acoustic environment while the entry chamber provides a multifunction space as a changing room, food preparation room and confession room.
Dimensions & Packaging: main building in 5m diameter circular shape, plot size: 6m Width x 8m Depth
Tags: Community Centre, Cultural Regeneration, Fireplace, Huotang, Dong Ethnicity
Production Technology: Stone foundation, brick wall plus straw and clay plaster on the surface, CNC cut timber roof structure
Design Challenge: As a cultural regeneration project, the challenge was to enhance the local crafts such wood construction and straw weaving techniques while bringing a contemporary architectural understanding to the local community. To ensure its buildability by local craftsmen, wood construction was chosen aided by CNC fabrication to realise a unique geometry for the Huotang typology. Wall finishes and internal doors also utilise the straw weaving techniques to showcase the Dong culture. By doing so, the new Huotang seeks to ensure a contemporary relevance for the Dong culture.
Research: Dong ethnicity has been rooted in the remote rural mountain area and increasingly disconnected from the fast-moving cities. It is part of a rural culture regeneration project as an architectural acupuncture which intends to revive the economy of a county whose young generations have moved to larger urban areas. By building specific industrial structures and social projects in relation to the Dong culture and economy, it hopes to boom in the tourism industry for a better connection to the outside world.
Inspiration: The inspiration comes from local traditional timber construction house and craft techniques developed by the Dong ethnicity. The circular typology has been chosen due to the form of gathering around the fireplace as well as acting as a small theatre for performing traditional Pipa music instrument. This has been the form of their life for many generations.
Project Duration: Permanent, completion in June 2021
Operation Flow: The Huotang plays an important role in the daily life of the Dong community. As a forum, it is a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, leisure and dinner. Deeply integrated into Dong’s lives, it is their second home. Moonlight Huotang proposal is for up to 25 people who can carry on the folk music culture to the next generations as well as a display of Dong culture for foreign tourists.
Team Members: Architect:William Hailiang Chen
Architectural Assistant: Shoujian Eng
Structural Engineer: XinY structural consultants
Acoustic Consultant: Zhu Heng