Wutopia Lab was invited by the owner to transform a Xinhua Bookstore and its surrounding buildings into a multifaceted treasure trove, featuring bookstores, homestays, exhibitions, conferences, and tea rooms within the historic district of Yangzhou. This project showcases the potential to honor history while embracing the future for the people of Yangzhou.
Yangzhou, with a rich history spanning over 2,500 years, was once one of China’s busiest cities. Established on January 28, 1949, the Guoqing Road Xinhua Bookstore became the first Xinhua Bookstore in Yangzhou. Its predecessor, the “Jianguo Bookstore,” operated during the Republic of China period and was taken over after liberation. After 70 years, the Xinhua Bookstore on National Day Road, which held memories for several generations, gradually fell into decline. Its business area shrank, with some storefronts leased to clothing stores. Once the spiritual home for Yangzhou residents, the bookstore began fading from collective memory. The Yangzhou Municipal Government and property owners aim to collaborate on reviving the Xinhua Bookstore and driving urban renewal in this ancient city area.
Yangzhou Slow: A Nested Box of Surprises
The Xinhua Bookstore site acquired by Wutopia Lab consists of a street-level building plus six adjacent buildings embedded in the fabric of the old city, with yards scattered with miscellaneous items. Wutopia Lab integrated these structures into a connected complex named “Yangzhou Slow.”
The First Box: Xinhua Bookstore
1.1 Guanggong Bookstore – The Light White Box
The main facade on National Day Road is gray and heavy, and since the exterior cannot be altered, the design aimed to create a white, airy bookstore inside. Inspired by the concept of “Guanggong,” a white acrylic bookshelf acts as a screen, enclosing the bookstore in a maze-like layout. The translucent acrylic produces a misty effect, with books seeming to float above a white floor, creating a lightweight, ethereal atmosphere. Although compact, mirrored surfaces give a sense of endlessness, and time feels suspended.
1.2 Children’s Bookstore – A Jewelry Box Within the White Box
The children’s library on the second floor is an enhanced version of the Guanggong Bookstore. It continues the maze-like layout but replaces acrylic with wooden bookshelves shaped like the outlines of small wooden houses. The bright yellow floor is dotted with animal-shaped shelves, resembling creatures swimming. Mirrored walls multiply the layered wooden houses, creating a warm, Narnia-inspired world for children.
1.3 Mobile Study – A Mechanism Inside the White Box
The design includes a lifting platform for transporting books, envisioned as a small mobile living room. The elevator walls double as exhibition space and are hidden behind mirrored panels. When opened, visitors can catch glimpses of the Xinhua Bookstore’s historical transformations on display.
1.4 Guanwen Bookstore – The Black Box on Top of the White Box
The third floor houses a small collection area for BIM training books. Movable stainless steel bookshelves, paired with a mirrored ceiling and black flooring, create a “mechanical escape room” effect that disorients visitors. This is the Guanwen Bookstore of Yangzhou.
1.5 Cloud Garden – A Box Concealing Nature
Exiting the Guanwen Bookstore leads to a rooftop garden. Inspired by the bamboo and Qingyi Pavilion in the designer’s own garden, the flower pond is shaped with weather-resistant steel plates that feature ripple patterns. Bamboo is planted throughout, creating a miniature natural garden on the rooftop of the old city — a reimagined natural sanctuary.
The treasures of the bookstore boxes are knowledge and history.
The Second Box: A 24-Hour ‘Study’ Box
2.1 Living in Poetry
The two small buildings behind Xinhua Bookstore have been renovated into homestays and shared halls. The two floors accommodate 12 guest rooms, forming the homestay box. Part of the guest room area was sacrificed to create small “boxes” attached to the main building. These are likened to chocolates—each “box” represents a famous poet like Li Bai or Ouyang Xiu. At first, you don’t know who you’ll get; after all, 12 poets await your choice.
2.2 Bathing in the Rainbow of Inspiration
Next to the homestay is a shared hall for conferences and training activities. The building’s exterior facade had to remain untouched due to proximity to residential buildings, so attention shifted to the roof. Colorful skylights filter sunlight into vibrant patterns, enlivening the interior. Even within constraints, imagination thrives. This colorful light represents the sudden bursts of inspiration found in everyday life.
The treasure of the homestay box is a poetic way of life.
The Third Box: The Central Courtyard
The courtyard between the bookstore and homestay boxes has been cleared and serves as the heart of the entire Yangzhou Slow project. This central courtyard is an “empty box.” A shiny, reflective “empty box” was introduced into the formerly dilapidated courtyard, connecting the bookstore, homestay, and backyards through the concept of emptiness.
Standing inside this empty, clean, gray box feels like a continuation of the chaotic and crowded ancient city. The courtyard echoes the stone mountain house, with walls and floor paved in gray stone. It is an independent enclosure, detached from surrounding buildings, symbolizing a determined new beginning.
Through scenic windows, flower brick walls, and moon gate doors arranged around the courtyard, visitors catch glimpses of the old city’s textures and colors. Though the hustle of the city tries to crowd in, it remains outside this tranquil courtyard. Here, time slows, and thoughts and memories flood freely.
This empty box is the project’s core. The only open space is the sky, echoed by a red maple tree at the center. Unfortunately, the leaves hadn’t turned red at publication time. Sometimes, taking things slow is a luxury.
The treasure of the courtyard box is contemplation.
The Fourth Box: A Secret Treasure
4.1 Qu Shui Liu Shang – A Clue to Discovering Hidden Treasures
At the entrance to the backyard, a subtle curved copper strip embedded in the ground hints at the hidden “curved water flowing cup.”
4.2 Three Hidden Treasures
Along the winding water in the backyard, three secret spaces were uncovered within this treasure box. Two small houses in the original courtyard corners were transformed into exquisite tea rooms named “Qionghua Shaoyao” and “Lvyangchun,” as well as an independent homestay called “Fireworks March.” This narrow, winding courtyard creates a serene refuge separate from the city’s bustle, offering refinement and satisfaction for those who discover its secrets.
The treasures in this secret box are memories and surprises.
Yangzhou Slow: The Treasure of Yangzhou
Yangzhou Slow gradually reveals its layers to the people of Yangzhou. From the Xinhua Bookstore, you can see the Big Qilin Pavilion across the street, and the Green Yang Hotel—beloved by Republican-era celebrities—lies just west along Xinsheng Street Alley. Nearby is the Fuchun Tea House, and not far away are Heyuan, Geyuan, and Dongguan Street. The Yangzhou Slow treasure box tells a story: the ancient city itself is the grandest treasure chest, waiting to be explored.
Project Drawings
▲ First floor plan
▲ Second floor plan
▲ Third floor plan
▲ Sectional view
Project Information
Building Information Modeling (BIM) Office: Wutopia Lab
Location: Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China
Lead Architect: Yu Ting
Project Architect: Yellow River
Construction Drawing Design: Yangzhou Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Architecture), Shanghai Aoshi Design Consulting Co., Ltd. (Interior), Shanghai Tonggou Architectural Engineering Design Co., Ltd. (Landscape), Jiangsu Construction Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (Curtain Wall)
Lighting Consultant: Zhang Chenlu
Building Area: 1,800 square meters
Project Year: 2019
Photography: CreatAR Images
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up