On 15th December, Mr. Hu Zhile, Founder/Design Director of WJ STUDIO, was invited to participate in the 2nd Travel Insight Forum City Style Conference held in Qingpu-Wulin Traditional Village.
In this forum, Mr. Hu Zhile participated in a roundtable discussion on the theme of "Evolutionary Creation of Design for Cultural and Tourism Destinations", and answered the question of evolutionary creation of design for cultural and tourism destinations through the analysis of the significance of architecture and the review of the history of design development.
From 29th November to 1st December, Mr. Hu Zhile, Founder/Design Director of WJ Studio, was invited to participate in WAF World Architecture Festival/INSIDE World Festival of Interiors in Singapore, and gave a live presentation and defense of the shortlisted project, "Boatyard Hotel".
In the competition, the project Boatyard Hotel finally won the Highly Commended award in the Interior Design - Hotel category.
On 23rd November 2023, Mr. Hu Zhile, Founder/Design Director of WJ STUDIO, was invited to attend the "27th ANDREW MARTIN INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS AWARDS CEREMONY" in Shanghai, and at the same time, he was invited to be the Andrew Martin China Design Envoy.
On the next day, Mr Hu Zhile was invited to give a speech on the topic of "The Width of Design" in the "2023 ANDREW MARTIN INTERNATIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN SUMMIT - Realm". In the speech, Mr. Hu shared his thoughts on design, and believed that the width of design is no longer a single, independent entity, but the embodiment of multiple thoughts and concepts, which is not only concerned with the creation of physical form, but also the expression and deeper thinking and dialogue through design.
On 24th August 2023 at Wu Shanming Museum of Art, Mr. Hu Zhile, Founder & Design Director of WJ STUDIO, was invited to participate in the kick-off meeting of Old Mansion New Life 2023 Hangzhou, and gave a speech on the topic of "Talking about Alteration Design".
In the speech, Mr Hu took the "design possibility" and "from design to control design" as the clue of alteration, and explored the significance of alteration design by combining with the projects of Wanjing Design in the field of urban renewal and old building renovation in recent years. According to Hu Zhile, the old buildings are not only limited to the scope of interior design and renewal, but also an important part of the city's memory and intention. Similarly, design cannot cover all the space and ecology, what is more important is how to identify the possibilities of the site through design, so that the site can be awakened again.
On 15th June 2023, Mr. Hu Zhile, Founder & Design Director of WJ STUDIO, was invited to participate in the first "Andrew Martin Chat in Town" event in China as a keynote speaker, and gave a special design sharing session on the topic of "Two or Three Things about Design".
In the nearly three hours' communication, Hu Zhile took "what is design" and "what is design" as the introduction, and combined with the company's recent projects, such as Mawei Shuanzheng Bookstore, Yunlangu Business Centre, and Equator Peak Coffee, etc., he shared his views on the process from concept to implementation. He shared the practice and thinking from concept to implementation; at the same time, Hu also shared the results of international competitions and academic research based on the PRO-LAB team, and deeply analysed the importance of multi-dimensional composite and top-level thinking.
The independent exhibition "DEEP GREEN" of the 2023 Venice Biennale officially opened in Venice on May 20th and will run until November 26th. WJ STUDIO was invited to participate and will showcase the theme 'Multi-dimensional Intervention: Reflections and Practice on Rural Architecture in China'.
The topic of "Rural Construction" in China is currently attracting increased attention from various stakeholders, including political, cultural, production, and business interests, as these forces shape the relationship between urban and rural areas. This trend is not unique to China, but rather reflects a global interest in the complexities and unique characteristics of rural areas. Given the distinctive qualities of each rural locale, now is an opportune moment for architects and planners to turn their attention to the practice of rural architecture, with a view to exploring innovative solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of rural communities.
WJ STUDIO's conceptual designs for Roll Up the Fields in Qingshan Village, Huanglong Island Hotel in Dongjutou Village, and Boatyard Hotel in Shanwan Village demonstrate an innovative approach to integrating regional context and the boundaries between urban and rural areas. By introducing a diverse range of building typologies, WJ STUDIO seeks to enrich the spatial and architectural values of rural communities, contributing to a more sustainable and community-oriented approach to rural design.