Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti by Cao Sun

Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti by Cao Sun is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Ario in Mamanu Totonu Competition Category.

ArioTotonu· 2026

Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti

by Cao Sun

Client: Nova Space Design

A' Design Award Ario Winner in Totonu Category

19,714

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #174659

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti

O le Xiyuan Teahouse o se fale lauti i totonu e tu i tafatafa o le Vaituloto i Sisifo i Hangzhou, Saina. O le avanoa e 1500 sikuea mita e aofia ai se tulaga lauti tutotonu ua siitia i luga, e valu potu tumaoti, se faasitepu apamemea faafaatagata ma pa puipui ua faapipiiina i laau lanumeamata, ma se vaieli ua tuufaatasia ma le laufanua. O laupapa laau na faia i lima ma puipui palasitila lanu vaivai o loo faaaogaina i le avanoa atoa. O faamalama faapitoa ua faavaaina e tatala atu vaaiga i le vaituloto. O se auala savali lipoi e taitaia lemu ai malo i totonu o potu. O le mamanu e toe faauigaina ai tu ma aga faalelei masani a Sasae mo se siosiomaga talimalo faaonaponei.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Ario

O le A' Design Award Ario na manumalo ai Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti, o se faamaoniga matuā mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu sili ona lelei, matagofie ma mataʻutia. O ē manumalo i le Ario o galuega susulu tele ma fatufatuaʻi e faaalia ai le poto, le taleni ma le atamai o tagata mamanu. E faamoemoeina Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti e avea ma galuega matagofie, o se fesuiaiga mo isi, e iloga i le tomai faapolofesa ma mea fou loloto. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Ario o se mea e iloga, ua mataʻina e aogā ma tuleia atu tapulaʻa o le faatufugaga, saienisi, mamanu ma tekonolosi. Xiyuan Teahouse Le Mamanu Totonu o le Fale Lauti o se mea e fiafia i ai le toatele, e fafagu ai manaʻoga, aumaia ai lagona lelei ma tupu ai le ofo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This project reinterprets Oriental aesthetics through modern spatial language, blending symbolic elements, nature inspired materials, and layered spatial planning. Located by West Lake, it integrates landscape, function, and narrative to provide guests with a serene, immersive cultural experience. Its sculptural staircase, window-framed views, and poetic detailing create a unique sense of ritual and emotional resonance.
Dimensions & Packaging: Total built area: 1500 square meters. Key spatial components include an elevated central tea platform, eight distinctive private rooms, a sculptural bronze staircase, and a landscape integrated water feature. Window systems are custom framed to optimize views and natural lighting. Materials are chosen to enhance symbolic and sensory experience.
Tags: Oriental Aesthetics, West Lake, Tea Culture, Immersive Space, Cultural Memory, Landscape Integration, Bronze Staircase, Handcrafted Materials, Poetic Space, Spiritual Retreat
Production Technology: The teahouse features handcrafted wood veneers, bronze clad spiral stairs with inlaid greenwood railings, artisanal light toned plaster walls, and custom crystal acrylic tea sculptures. Spatial planning follows a loop circulation strategy, optimizing lake views and operational efficiency while reinforcing the natural and cultural dialogue of the interior.
Design Challenge: The core challenge lay in reinterpreting traditional Eastern aesthetics in a modern hospitality context without resorting to pastiche. Balancing symbolic depth with operational needs, integrating natural and built landscapes, and addressing tourist engagement within a historically significant setting required careful design logic and cultural sensitivity.
Research: Design research began with site analysis and historical study of Wang Yutai Tea House and literati traditions. Methodology included archival review, interviews, and spatial simulations. Participants included hotel operators, historians, and tea masters. Insights informed symbolic design, spatial zoning, and sensory elements. Results strengthened cultural resonance and guest engagement.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by the century old heritage of the Wang Yutai Tea House and the refined literati lifestyle of West Lake's past. From the "West Lake Moon Gatherings" to the tranquil tea rituals, the project revives cultural memories through spatial storytelling, aiming to reconnect modern life with traditional Eastern ideals of beauty, balance, and contemplation.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2024 in Hangzhou, China and finished in October 2024.
Operation Flow: The design encourages slow paced, reflective engagement. Visitors enter through a symbolic gateway and follow a circular path that reveals lake views, private rooms, and shared tea platforms. Seating and height variations allow layered interaction with the scenery. The flow fosters both intimacy and openness, enhancing spiritual and sensory experiences.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.
Image #1: Photographer Zhang jianing, Xiyuan Teahouse, 2024.