The Fosun Architecture Micromuseum is located within Shanghai’s Bund Finance Center, a landmark complex designed by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio. Clad in stone and brass, the buildings reflect the opulence and grandeur of the historic Bund while extending its distinctive architectural language into the present.
This pavilion and exhibition, titled Invisible Sensibility — Futurity of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, is curated and designed by renowned architects and curators Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, founders of HAS Design and Research. The installation consists of two interconnected L-shaped volumes forming a minimalist white box. Two elongated rectangular openings on the façade define the spatial narrative, guiding visitors on a journey—one into a meditative “dark space” filled with the ambient sounds of insects and birds, and the other into a contrasting “light space” where architectural models are revealed.
A series of floating texts, subtly etched into the façade, connects the two spaces both conceptually and visually. These inscriptions suggest a dialogue between light and dark, inside and outside—transforming the exhibition into an architectural statement in its own right.
Entering the dark space, visitors experience a narrowing corridor that evokes a subtle sense of tension. The dim interior, reminiscent of nightfall, immerses them in a natural soundscape. In this environment, sound overtakes sight, creating a contemplative, multisensory encounter. Deeper inside, a narrow horizontal slit emits a soft ray of light, while at waist height, a sequence of architectural models appears embedded in the black walls—offering glimpses of design through limited vision.
The adjacent light space offers a stark contrast: clean, bright, and open. A corresponding slit allows viewers to see silhouettes and movement from the opposite side, establishing a sense of spatial and sensory continuity. Within this illuminated area, a series of undulating architectural models echo those found in the dark space, reinforcing their conceptual link.
The entire structure—defined by the tension between darkness and light—acts as a metaphor for the evolving relationship between city and nature: dualities that are seemingly opposed, yet deeply interwoven. The first structure ever built in nature could be seen as the first beam of light breaking through night. From the urban perspective, however, nature often appears distant—longed for and romanticized.
Ultimately, Invisible Sensibility offers a quiet, immersive space for reflection. It encourages visitors to consider the shifting boundaries between urban and natural environments and to recognize the nuanced transitions and quiet tensions that shape how we live today. In doing so, it evokes the fragile and fluid border between civilization and the natural world.
Project name: Fosun Architecture Micromuseum
Architecture firm: HAS design and research
Lead architects: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee
Design team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Zhongjun Dou
Lighting consultant: Jenna Tsailin Liu
Constructor: ARTZHOU
Client: Fosun Foundation, Tongji University College of Architecture and Urban Planning
Curator: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee
