The Ripple Primary Function: ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ by Minghan Lin, Yuchen Qiu and Hao Zhong is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ, ᱤᱢᱟᱨᱚᱛ ᱟᱨ ᱜᱟᱲᱚᱱ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ Competition Category.
ᱨᱩᱯᱟᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ· 2026
The Ripple Primary Function: ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ
by Minghan Lin, Yuchen Qiu and Hao Zhong
A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱟᱨᱠᱤᱴᱮᱠᱪᱟᱨ Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #181398The Design
About The Ripple Primary Function: ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ
Book Text: ᱫ ᱨᱤᱯᱚᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱨᱚᱯᱚᱡᱟᱞ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱟᱲᱟᱝᱨᱮ ᱫᱟᱜ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱪᱚᱴ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱦᱩᱭᱮᱱ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱜᱷᱮᱨᱟᱣ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱯᱨᱚᱱᱟᱞᱤ ᱛᱮ ᱥᱟᱡᱟᱣ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱤᱣ ᱭᱚᱨᱠ ᱥᱚᱦᱚᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱪᱟᱭᱱᱟᱴᱟᱣᱩᱱ ᱨᱮ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱣᱟ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱤᱣᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱩᱪᱟᱫ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱪᱮᱛᱟᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱮᱠᱞᱟ ᱥᱚᱝᱥᱛᱷᱟ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱚᱦᱚᱨ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱟᱱᱩᱵᱷᱚᱵ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱦᱩᱭ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭᱟ ᱾ ᱫᱷᱚᱨᱢᱷᱟᱞᱟ, ᱪᱚᱴ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱰᱷᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱚᱥᱛ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱟᱵᱞᱤᱠ ᱡᱤᱣᱤ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱥᱟᱱᱟᱢ ᱢᱚᱱᱮ ᱠᱷᱟᱴᱤᱨ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱪᱟᱞᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱟᱲᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱢᱤᱫᱛᱟᱲᱟᱝ ᱦᱩᱭ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱤᱸ ᱢᱟᱨᱥᱟᱞ, ᱫᱟᱜ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱟᱥᱤᱵ ᱯᱟᱨᱫᱷᱟᱱ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱨᱚᱱᱚᱱᱤᱛᱤ ᱠᱚ ᱥᱚᱱᱥᱚᱨᱤ ᱨᱟᱲᱟ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱜᱩᱯᱛᱚᱛᱟ, ᱫᱤᱥᱟᱸ ᱟᱨ ᱢᱚᱱᱮ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱛᱮᱜᱮ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭᱟ ᱾
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ
The Ripple Primary Function: ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ The Ripple Primary Function: ᱦᱚᱥᱯᱤᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The Ripple reimagines hospice as an urban civic sanctuary structured by a concentric ripple geometry generated from a single water court. Architecture, structure, circulation, and environmental systems align within one continuous spatial logic, integrating hybrid timber construction, passive ventilation, and water reuse. The design transforms end-of-life care into a collective, sensory experience embedded within the life of the city.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The project employs a hybrid timber system organized by concentric structural rings. Curved CLT load-bearing wall segments rise from a continuous concrete foundation datum, supporting stepped roof bands with integrated skylights, photovoltaic tiles, and rainwater collection gutters. Environmental systems include stacked passive ventilation, hydronic radiant floor slabs, and on-site water filtration and reuse.
- Tags
- Hospice, Healthcare Design, Sensory experience, Therapeutic environment,
- Production Technology
- The project was developed through an integrated design methodology where geometry, structure, and environmental systems evolve from a single concentric datum. Digital modeling and iterative sectional studies guided spatial, daylight, and airflow performance. A hybrid timber system using curved CLT wall segments, cavity assemblies, and a continuous concrete base enables structural clarity while integrating rainwater collection, passive ventilation, and radiant conditioning within one coordinated assembly.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge was reconciling hospice care’s need for privacy and calm with the density and intensity of an urban Chinatown context. Social perceptions of hospice as isolated institutions required rethinking care as civic and accessible. Spatially, integrating sensory comfort, acoustic privacy, and environmental performance within a compact site demanded precise coordination of structure, water systems, and daylight. The project resolves these tensions through a unified geometric and environmental strategy.
- Research
- Design research combining healthcare design and environmental psychology. Objective: improve patient privacy and emotional comfort in hospice settings. Methodology explored spatial sequencing and sensory design strategies. Experiential scenarios tested water sound as a non-visual privacy buffer.
- Inspiration
- The Ripple is inspired by the universal image of a water drop generating expanding rings, symbolizing the continuity of life, memory, and collective care. Research into hospice environments, sensory psychology, and traditional courtyard typologies informed a design that replaces institutional isolation with spatial calm, gradual thresholds, and communal presence, integrating cultural reflection with environmental performance.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed between September 2025 and Janurary 2026 as part of an architectural design competition. The Ripple is located in Chinatown, New York City, where it reimagines hospice care within a dense urban context. The proposal explores how end-of-life care can integrate with everyday civic life through architecture, landscape, and community-oriented programming.
- Operation Flow
- Movement through Ripple follows expanding concentric rings, guiding visitors from the active city edge toward increasing quiet and intimacy. Thresholds, courtyards, and water elements choreograph gradual emotional transition rather than abrupt separation. Daylight, airflow, and acoustic water features respond passively to occupancy and climate, supporting orientation, privacy, and calm—allowing care to unfold through spatial experience rather than institutional control.
- Patents
- Minghan Lin, Yuchen Qiu, Hao Zhong
- Team Members
- Minghan Lin
Yuchen Qiu
Hao Zhong - Image Credits
- Minghan Lin, Yuchen Qiu, Hao Zhong
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