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Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo by Xishun Tan

Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo by Xishun Tan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Khauta oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Sebaka sa Ka Hare le Dipontsho Competition Category.


KhautaKa Hare· 2026

Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo

by Xishun Tan

Client: Vanke

Moputso oa Khauta oa A' Design Award Winner in Ka Hare Category

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The Design

About Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo

Myriad Circles ke moralo oa ka hare oa bolulo o phethiloeng Sichuan, China. Tlhophiso ea sebaka e bululetsoe ke metsana ea Linpan ea Sichuan Bophirimela le meaho ea eona ea setso ea lehong ea Chuandou. Mosebetsi oa lehong oa American walnut o entsoeng ka ho khetheha o hlalosa bocha mekhoa ea ho hokahana le ea cantilever ea meaho ena. Matlafatso a tšepe a patiloeng ka har'a mosebetsi oa lehong a tšehetsa boima ba pokello ea li-model. Tšepe e sa ruteheng le khalase li kopantsoe le lehong. Likarolo tsa walnut tse tsitsitseng li fa ka hare botebo ba setso, athe likarolo tse feto-fetohang li lumella sebaka ho sebeletsa litšebeliso tse fetohang.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Khauta oa A' Design Award

Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Khauta oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang haholo e fuoang meralo ea maemo a pele, e ntle ka ho makatsa le e ikhethang. Bahapi ba Khauta ke lintho tse hlahisitsoeng tse nang le mehopolo e mecha haholo, tse shebileng pele le tse khanyang ka ho foufatsa, tse bontšang botsebi, bohlale le bokhoni ba baqapi ba tsona. Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo e lebelletsoe ho ba mohopolo o babatsoang haholo, o thehang mekhoa e mecha le o moholo, o tlisang boleng bo sa kang ba bonoa. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Khauta oa A' Design Award ke mosebetsi o tsosang maikutlo, o hlomphehang, o tlisang molemo o moholo le o sutumelletsang meeli ea bonono, mahlale, moralo le theknoloji. Myriad Circles Moralo oa Ka Hare oa Bolulo e hlahisa maikutlo a matla a takatso, e tsosa tjantjello, e khothalletsa boqapi mme e re khahlisa.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
Echoing the structural elegance of "Linpan" architecture in Western Sichuan, China, this design distills traditional "Chuandou" timber systems into a contemporary narrative. Custom walnut joinery abstracts ancient cantilever techniques, creating a sculptural framework for the client’s "Retro-Futurist" collection. The space bridges eras, merging the precision of heritage carpentry with the playful spirit of the digital age to form a deeply personalized, culturally anchored sanctuary.
Tags
Retro-Futurism, Mid-Century Modern, Linpan Architecture, Residential Interior Design, Collector Workspace, Eclectic Luxury, Custom Joinery, Sichuan Vernacular, Chuandou Structure
Production Technology
To resurrect the essence of traditional "Linpan" settlements, we utilized contemporary fabrication techniques. The design synthesizes American Walnut—a nod to vernacular timber—with modern industrial materials like stainless steel and glass. By embedding concealed steel reinforcements within the joinery, we achieved the iconic "Chuandou" interlocking aesthetic without traditional limitations. This application of modern material science allows the ancient architectural form to be reborn within a "Retro-Futurist" context.
Design Challenge
The primary challenge lay in reconciling the solemnity of vernacular "Linpan" architecture with the vibrancy of a "Retro-Futurist" toy collection. Visually, preventing this eclectic mix from appearing chaotic required rigorous curation to balance historical weight with pop-culture playfulness. Structurally, mimicking the lightweight aesthetic of traditional "Chuandou" cantilevers while supporting heavy die-cast models imposed engineering constraints, necessitating a concealed steel skeleton within the walnut joinery.
Research
This project is grounded in applied design research that decodes the vernacular "Linpan" settlements of Sichuan. We sought to translate their core principles of community, organic hierarchy, and material authenticity into a contemporary urban residence. Our methodology combined ethnographic field observation, spatial analysis of traditional "Chuandou" timber structures, and material prototyping. We engaged local craftsmen and used 3D scanning alongside digital and physical modeling to test modern interpretations of joinery. A key insight emerged: the "Chuandou" system functions as a "social scaffold," organizing life through a gradient of spaces from public to private. This research directly generated the project's central "permanent-temporary" framework. Its impact is threefold: it provides business value through deep cultural narrative, offers society a model for fostering neighborhood belonging in dense cities, and advances design practice by demonstrating a rigorous methodology for systemic vernacular translation, moving beyond superficial aesthetic reference.
Inspiration
A chance journey through Western Sichuan introduced me to the mesmerizing "Linpan" settlements. This experience deeply resonated with me, and by a stroke of serendipity, I was soon commissioned for this Chengdu residence. Inspired to bring this local spirit indoors, I reinterpreted the region's traditional "Chuandou" timber structures. The design translates these ancient interlocking techniques into modern walnut joinery, grounding the space in its cultural roots.
Project Duration
The project started in April 2024 in China and finished in August 2025 in Sichuan China.
Operation Flow
The space guides visitors on a narrative journey, from the symbolic "Tree of Light" entrance into the intimate, wood-clad "Study Box." Interaction is encouraged through integrated zones where children's play is visible to adults, fostering natural community connection. Its strength lies in a "permanent-temporary" framework: the fixed walnut architecture provides cultural depth, while flexible elements allow the space to transform from a sales gallery into an active community hub. This creates not just a functional space, but one that actively builds and sustains relationships.
Team Members
Design Director:FIONA LIU and Project Director:TIM TAN
Image Credits
Photographer:Kong studio

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