Page 65 - Varsity Special Issue

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Shu has not visited his family for modations at the edge of Erhai Lake.
ten months since January this year. He “ Many have rooms with a sea view for “
devotes his time to a rural reconstruc- tourists. But Shu plans to build a wall
tion project in Hong He. Don’t look at the on the side facing the sea to create an I want them to know why they live in
The rural district is an unexploited enclosed area for meditation.
Hani minority region with rich tour- sea by the sea is a “My design is not just for mate- this world instead of being assigned
ism resources that have not been de- rialistic values, but for providing a
veloped yet. Shu and his team are higher state of con- personal space where people can stop to live in a certain way. I hope they
working on a project to build a col- and think. I want people to build their
lection of modern rammed earth sciousness. People spiritual space in my design,” Shu says. can find their own space one day.
buildings. Shu spends a third of every “Don’t look at the sea by the sea is
month in Hong He, communicating need to build walls a higher state of consciousness. People ”
with workers, coordinating and track- need to build walls around themselves
ing the project schedule to align the around themselves so that they can look inward,” he says.

client’s requirement. The project also so that they can Shu has his “quiet room”, a dark- room. The pictures always bring me to know why they live in this world
helps promote tourism industry in room for meditation in Dali. back to the days when I was with my instead of being assigned to live in a
Hong He. look inward. As a real shutterbug, he uses a film family. That makes me feel like they certain way. I hope they can find their
Landslide is frequent in Hong He camera to record life, especially every are always with me,” Shu says. own space one day,” he adds.
especially during rainy season in July ” step of his daughters’ development. He reflects and thinks about the
and August. Most rural reconstruc- “Thanks to the pandemic, I have time meaning of family, the meaning of ca-
u
nnan
ng He, Y
T
an
Shu
s design in Ho
’
tion projects choose to adopt modern Shu Tan’s design in Hong He, Yunnan to do things that I have no time to do,” reer, and the meaning of his own life
Pro
Province. (Photo courtesy of Shu Tan)
vince. (Photo c
T
an)
f Shu
ou
rtesy o
ways to rebuild houses. Shu follows Shu says. He built a darkroom in his in this 20-meter square room.
traditional building techniques to yard to develop photographs in May. “I want to leave something mean-
safeguard Hani cultural inheritance “I have hundreds of rolls of films ingful to my daughters. Something
by building sustainable rammed earth that haven’t been developed. I now can shape their view of themselves
houses. spend most of my time in this dark- and the world,” Shu says. “I want them
The basic idea of rammed earth is
using dirt to build a house.
“The folk dwellings are not only
about houses but also thousands of
years of Hani culture and wisdom of
skillful craftsmen,” the architect says.
A Spiritual Space
Shu tries to feature the relationship
between a house and the surround-
ings in his design.
“People need space for medita-
tion,” Shu says. There is a tearoom at
Shu’s studio where he can relax and
think in this quiet space. This kind of
“quiet room” is an essential element in
his design, featuring Shu’s philosophy
with his architecture.
“Most of my designs are after qual- Shu Tan and his colleague are at the construction site in Hong He, Yunnan
n si
u
nnan
te in Ho
ng He, Y
lleagu
e are at the c
o
o
Shu
T
an and his c
cti
o
nstru
ity of life instead of making a profit. Pro vince. (Photo c ou rtesy o f Shu T an)
Province. (Photo courtesy of Shu Tan)
Some of my friends or my clients ask
me to design their homes, and I give
them a unique space of their own,”
Shu says.
There are many boutique accom- Shu T an is in his darkroom. ( Photo c ourtesy o f Shu T an)
Shu Tan is in his darkroom. (Photo courtesy of Shu Tan)