Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang

Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Uʻamea in Mamanu Totonu Competition Category.

UʻameaTotonu· 2026

Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga

by Cheng Sun, Dagang Qu and Xi Huang

Client: Harbin Institute of Technology Sun Cheng Young Scientist Studio

A' Design Award Uʻamea Winner in Totonu Category

4,135

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #179079

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga

O le Lilac Reborn o se nofoaga autū o faasalalauga na faia e ala i le toe faaleleia o se faletalimalo na tuulafoaʻia i Harbin, Saina. O le mamanu e faaosofia mai le fugalaau lilac o le lotoifale. E lua avanoa faasoa e fai ma fatu autū: o le Lilac Hall, e iai le malamalama faanatura ma se vaega vai, ma le Regeneration Hall, na fausia i otaota o le fausiaina na toe faaaogaina. O atrium e lua e aumaia ai le malamalama o le ao i le ivasefulu ma le lua pasene o vaega faatino. Na faaaogaina le sima toe faaaogaina, laupapa faapaologa maualuga le lelei ma vali e lelei mo le siosiomaga. O puipui e mafai ona faagaoioia e mafai ai ona avea potu ma potu lauga po o nofoaga faigaluega.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Uʻamea

O le A' Design Award Uʻamea na manumalo ai Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga, o se faamaoniga mamalu e tuuina atu i mamanu lelei e faataunuu ai manaʻoga faapolofesa ma pisinisi e faamoemoeina mai galuega ua mamanuina lelei. O ē manumalo i le Uʻamea e faaalia ai le tomai tele, le faapitoa maualuga, le malamalama o tagata poto ma le mafai fatufatuaʻi o ē na faia. E faamoemoeina Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga e avea ma mea ua matuā vivii, mataʻina ma pelepelea e aogā ma fou. O lenei mamanu na manumalo i le A' Design Award Uʻamea e tuufaatasia ai faiga sili o le pisinisi ma e iai uiga faatekonolosi mafai ua fesoʻotaʻi ma le poto ma le taleni. Ona o lona faatuatuaina, e tatau ai Lilac Reborn Le Mamanu Totonu o le Nofoaga Autū o Faasalalauga ona faaaloalogia ma ua mamanuina e tuuina mai ai faaleleiga o le olaga e fesoasoani e faia ai e le lalolagi se nofoaga e sili atu ona lelei.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This project renovates an abandoned hotel into a media center within a tight budget, marking a first for ultra-low-energy renovation in a frigid region. Drawing on the metaphor of media flowers blooming in a palace, two core shared spaces were designed: the Lilac Hall, featuring natural light and a water feature, and the Regeneration Hall, built with recycled construction waste. Dual atriums ensure indoor warmth and brightness while meeting the three-star green building standard and LEED Platinum requirements.
Dimensions & Packaging: Total area: 7,000 square meters
Tags: Building renewal, Computational design, Media office building, Designer-AI collaborative design
Production Technology: AI computational design was used to optimize spatial curvature, and same-source recycling technology achieved resource reuse. Fifteen ultra-low-energy technologies were integrated, such as enhanced thermal insulation and passive daylighting. Building performance simulation verified a 25 percent reduction in energy consumption and an improvement in the useful daylight illuminance index. Modular assembly was adopted using recycled concrete, high-performance insulation panels, and eco-friendly coatings.
Design Challenge: The core challenge was realizing ultra-low-energy renovation of an old building in frigid Harbin, while balancing historical fabric preservation, media hub functional demands, and the implementation of AI-driven collaborative design. External Obstacles: Sparse technical data on the renewal of old buildings in cold regions, insufficient low-temperature resistance of recycled materials, and strict fire codes restricting structural modifications. Internal Conflicts: Bridging the gap between AI design and traditional construction practices, and reconciling public accessibility (for media lounges) with the need for closed office spaces. Solutions: Adopted multi-objective optimization + BIM technology, customized thermal insulation systems, recycled material modification, and the TOPSIS method to balance regulatory requirements, performance indicators, and functional needs.
Research: This applied research explores AI-driven ultra-low-energy renovation for old buildings in frigid climates. Using deep learning and multi-objective optimization, the study balanced historical preservation with media function requirements. Tools including BIM and on-site sensors verified the results. The project achieved 25 percent lower energy consumption and natural light coverage for 92 percent of the building. This validates the application of computational design in urban renewal, supporting carbon goals and setting a benchmark for smart, green infrastructure in cold regions.
Inspiration: Inspired by the lilac of Harbin, this project focuses on the green renewal of abandoned buildings. It addresses the gap in ultra-low-energy renovation for regions with temperatures reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. Driven by the demand for shared media spaces, it integrates local culture with eco-technologies. Through artificial intelligence computational design and same-source recycling of construction debris, the project reflects a vision of a green, tech-driven, and art-integrated media hub.
Project Duration: Duration: 2023~2025;
Location: Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Operation Flow: The media hub is fully accessible to the public. Visitors enter the Lilac Hall for social gatherings, media displays, or community events. Natural light illuminates 92 percent of functional areas year-round, significantly reducing artificial lighting needs. The specialized insulation system maintains a comfortable indoor temperature of 20 to 24 degrees Celsius even when it is minus 30 degrees Celsius outside. Modular spaces can be rearranged into lecture halls or workstations using simple movable partitions.
Team Members: Studio Director: Cheng Sun
Lead Architect: Dagang Qu
Architect: Xi Huang
Architect: Xiufeng Li
Architect: Yue Wang
Architect: Wanying Zheng
Architect: Xumiao Guo
Architect: Jian Zhang
Interior Designer: Guoliang Xu
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Media Hub Renovation, 2025.
Image #2: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Media Hub and Office Space, 2025.
Image #3: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Media Hub Transportation Core, 2025.
Image #4: Photographer Dagang Qu (CMG Project Team), Lilac Waterscape Bar Transformed, 2025.
Image #5: Photographer Xi Huang (CMG Project Team), Regeneration Hall (recycled construction waste), 2025.