Simple Craft Collection is the first furniture museum and signature showroom in Anhui, China, for the French brand Ligne Roset. Established by the legendary French furniture craftsman Antoine Roset in 1860, Ligne Roset has symbolized elegant living and modern luxury for 160 years, consistently combining craftsmanship with innovative thinking to give furniture fresh new possibilities.
At the end of 2021, HAS Design and Research was commissioned to design a furniture museum, signature store, and showroom that diverged from the norm. This space not only needed to reflect Ligne Roset's unique innovation but also to embody the spirit of modern craftsmanship. Hung And Songkittipakdee (HAS) upheld Ligne Roset's brand standards and, after understanding the site in Hefei, Anhui, discovered that a tributary of the Nanfei River surrounding the base freezes during the winter. The floating ice blocks of various sizes resemble icebergs, and the organic shapes of the ice blocks combined with the surrounding snowy landscape create a picturesque scene, transforming the city into a winter wonderland and showcasing the unique texture of Anhui's winter scenery.
Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, the founders and architects of HAS Design and Research, proposed an unconventional design concept titled "Floating Icebergs." This concept creatively responds to the diverse relationship between the site and its surroundings by embodying the sharp solidity of "ice freezing" and the smooth fluidity of "ice melting," thereby bringing an extraordinary spatial experience.
At the entrance, nearly a hundred jagged "ice pillars" form a ring, sometimes disconnected and sometimes connected, creating a continuous yet perforated multi-dimensional "frozen" shape. This not only isolates the noisy external environment but also allows light to penetrate through the gaps, forming a unique semi-transparent visual effect. Inside the space, in contrast to the jagged exterior columns, the interior features a continuous, layered endless realm that resembles the smooth merging imagery of "ice melting." Combined with Ligne Roset's characteristic curved furniture, this creates a rich spatial effect both inside and out.
During the daytime, nearly two hundred ice pillars, in combination with light and space, create a dual expression of jagged and smooth forms. The triangular openings hidden within the jagged ice pillars not only introduce natural wind but also bring unique light and shadow changes to the smooth walls on the other side of the ice pillars. At night and during special occasions, the triangular openings between the ice pillars illuminate, creating an extraordinary crystal effect on the floor and ceiling. The varying lengths of light and shadow provide a dramatic effect, offering visitors a spiritual experience that feels both natural and distinct from conventional interior spaces.
Simple Craft Collection is a new-era furniture museum that transcends the commercial display purpose of traditional showrooms. It awakens visitors to the unique cultural spirit and site-specific environmental phenomena of an otherwise directionless location. Beyond meeting functional requirements, the design offers an artistic, contemplative, and ritualistic furniture exhibition space, providing a respite from the hustle and bustle of the local urban concrete jungle.
Team:
Architect: HAS design and research
Lead architects: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee
Design team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Tapanee Laddahom
Lighting technology: Visual Feast (VF)
Lighting consultant: Jenna Tsailin Liu
Furniture consultant: Weili Yang
Construction consultant: Zaiwei Song
Constructor: Guangdong Xingyi Decoration Group Anhui Co., Ltd
Photo credits: W Workspace
