Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计 by Xishun Tan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 金奖 in 室内空间与展览设计 Competition Category.

金室内· 2026

Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计

by Xishun Tan

Client: Vanke

A' Design Award 金奖 Winner in 室内 Category

19,893
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180277

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计

《万重圆》是一处位于中国四川的住宅室内设计作品。空间布局灵感源自川西林盘聚落及其传统穿斗式木构架。定制的美国黑胡桃木榫卯构件重新诠释了这类结构中的交错咬合与悬挑技艺。榫卯构件内部隐藏的钢制加固件,承托起一系列模型藏品的重量。不锈钢与玻璃与木材相互结合。固定的胡桃木元素赋予室内深厚的文化底蕴,而灵活可变的元素则让空间得以适应不断变化的使用需求。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 金奖

Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计是 A' Design Award 金奖得主，这是授予一流、绝妙而杰出设计的极为崇高的认可。金奖得主是极具创新、极富远见且璀璨夺目的创作，反映出其设计师的天才、智慧与才干。预计Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计将成为一项备受赞誉、引领潮流、气势恢宏的发明，带来前所未有的价值。这件赢得 A' Design Award 金奖的设计是一个壮观而受人敬重的项目，极大地造福并拓展艺术、科学、设计和技术的边界。Myriad Circles 住宅室内设计激起强烈的渴望，唤起激情，鼓励创造力，令我们着迷。

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