Aesop Hangzhou / atelier suasua

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Text description provided by the architects. Bridge and Stone - Hangzhou is characterized by its numerous bridges. The "Qiantang County Records" states: "The residents of Qiantang are densely populated, with bridges every hundred steps and ten paces, with tracks and bridges for passage." In the Yuan Dynasty, Marco Polo wrote in his travelogue: "Traveling in Hangzhou, surrounded by various waters, there are twelve thousand stone bridges." We interpreted such bridge structures as symbols of connection and communication, equality and breadth. With this theme in mind, the space is conceived as a bridge between the global brand and its Hangzhou context. When entering the space, the huge water sink in the center is a concrete manifestation of the concept. People can stroll or stop by "the bridge," where the water is flowing from the tap and the rectangular stone slabs bridging it create a dynamic context for "connection."