The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero by Zhaoxiong Han and Yinzhu Yao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze in Igishushanyo cy'Imbere y'Inyubako Competition Category.
BuronzeImbere y'Inyubako· 2025
The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero
by Zhaoxiong Han and Yinzhu Yao
Client: Zhaoxiong Han and Yinzhu Yao
Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze Winner in Imbere y'Inyubako Category
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About The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero
Book Text: The Transformed Repository yongera gushushanya ububiko bwa kera bwo mu mateka i Detroit, ibuhindura isomero rigezweho hamwe na kafe. Iyi shusho ibungabunga imiterere y'inganda y'inyubako mu gihe ishyiramo umubumbe mushya w'imiterere kugira ngo hakorwe imyanya iteganije yo gusoma no guteranira. Amadirishya yo hejuru n'ay'urwego rwo hejuru azana urumuri rusanzwe mu mwanya, bikongera ubushyuhe bwawo n'ubugari. Uyu mushinga wo kongera gukoresha mu buryo buhuza n'imiterere ukora nk'urugero rw'ivugurura ry'imijyi rirambye, uhuza kubungabunga amateka n'imikorere igezweho, kandi ukora ihuriro ry'umuryango rifite ubuzima.
The Recognition
About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze
The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze, ishimwe ry'agaciro gakomeye ritangwa ku bishushanyo by'indashyikirwa birangwa no guhanga, ubwenge n'ubushishozi. Abegukanye Buronze ni ibihangano bifite ubuhanga bwinshi kandi bihanga cyane, bishimangira uburambe, ubwenge n'ubushobozi bw'ababihanze. The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero biteganyijwe ko izaba ikintu cyubahwa, gishimwa kandi gikundwa, gifite ubunyamwuga n'udushya. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye Buronze gikoresha uburyo bwiza mu buhanzi, ubumenyi, ubushushanyo n'ikoranabuhanga kandi kirarenze mu gutaha ku tuntu duto. The Transformed Repository Primary Function: Isomero ishimisha ibyo dukeneye, ikora ku byifuzo byacu, itwara amarangamutima yacu kandi ikurura amatsiko yacu.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The Transformed Repository is a project located in Detroit, set in a former warehouse with over a hundred years of history. By converting this old industrial space into a library with a coffee shop, the project aims to create more than just a public space; it is a thoughtful reflection on history and the future of Rust Belt factories.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The Transformed Repository spans approximately 18 meters in width, 35 meters in depth, and 7 meters in total height. The design incorporates mezzanine floors at a height of 3.5 meters, creating a dynamic double-height space. Skylights, each measuring 1.5 meters by 2.5 meters, and high clerestory windows of 2 meters in height are strategically placed to maximize natural light. Structural reinforcements include steel beams with a depth of 0.4 meters, ensuring stability and supporting the new design elements.
- Tags
- Factory Renovation
- Production Technology
- Our design employs adaptive reuse principles, introducing new volumes within the existing warehouse to create a dynamic double-height space. We utilized parametric design tools to optimize natural light through skylights and high clerestory windows, enhancing spatial quality while preserving historic integrity. Material selection focused on sustainable, locally-sourced options like reclaimed wood and steel, maintaining the industrial aesthetic while modernizing the interior environment.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part of this design activity was balancing historical preservation with modern functionality. Creatively, we faced the challenge of maintaining the warehouse's original character while adapting it for new uses, like a library and café. Internally, we navigated historical perspectives to honor the building's legacy and community expectations. Externally, we dealt with zoning laws, structural limitations, and integrating modern technology within a century-old structure, ensuring safety and sustainability.
- Research
- This project used a combination of historical research and community-focused design research. The objective was to transform a historic warehouse into a modern library while preserving its cultural significance. We used surveys, interviews, and site analysis as our primary data collection tools. Participants included local residents, historians, and urban planners. Results showed a strong community desire for a multifunctional space that respects the past while serving current needs. The insights gained emphasized the importance of adaptive reuse in promoting sustainable urban development and enhancing social engagement. This research has real-life impacts by revitalizing heritage buildings, fostering community pride, and offering a model for future sustainable design practices.
- Inspiration
- Detroit has a significant number of abandoned factories, many of which were once part of its thriving automotive industry. By repurposing this historic warehouse, the project honors the past while providing a sustainable model for urban renewal, showcasing a vision for the future where old industrial spaces are reborn as vibrant community assets.
- Project Duration
- Detroit, USA
- Operation Flow
- The Transformed Repository is designed to create an inviting and interactive space. A newly introduced drywall volume with an embedded structure adds layers and depth to the library, enhancing the sense of openness. This volume, along with reading and sitting steps, encourages exploration and interaction, offering cozy spots for reading or gathering. Large windows and skylights fill the space with natural light, making it bright and welcoming, blending historical character with modern comfort for an engaging experience.
- Team Members
- Zhaoxiong Han
Yinzhu Yao - Image Credits
- Zhaoxiong Han and Yinzhu Yao
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