A new studio and exhibition space for Xiamen based sculptor Jiang Sheng. ’The Fields’ is located at the site of a former aluminium factory, with the original building being the bathhouse of the factory. Jiang Sheng’s Buddhist faith is the cornerstone of his creation and thus sought to create a spiritual place and ‘residence’ for Buddha and his statues. With this in mind, Team Bldg proposed a ‘hidden and invisible architecture’.

The form of the old bathhouse is still visible but most of the original windows on the main façades were removed, resulting in a solid, monolithic appearance. Next to the east-facing entrance, a large magnolia tree which was preserved throughout the design and construction process, now serves as a landmark for the entire project and guides visitors inside whilst also connecting the stacked volumes. For the team, the tree is like a ‘dharma-vessel’, connecting all facets of the project. The staircase in the corner of the main hall spirals upwards to a roof terrace, where the magnolia tree reaches out, welcoming with its scent and one can touch its leaves.

Within the studio, several skylights were added, both round and square, grouped and isolated, forming a range of spatial experiences and solely using natural light to highlight the different Buddha statues. On clear days, the double-height main hall, receives a ‘rain of light’. To neutralise and soften the overall volumes, exteriors and interiors were tied together using the same sandalwood-yellow plaster.