PKU Souvenir Boya Stor

The cultural store transforms a compact urban space into a meaningful extension of university identity, memory, and scholarly spirit. It functions less as a conventional retail environment and more as a spatial experiment, exploring how the essence of an “ivory tower” can be conveyed beyond campus. The design draws inspiration from historical campus architecture, including traditional gateways and lattice windows, creating a refined spatial language that evokes a sense of intellectual heritage even before entering.
Semi-translucent resin panels embedded with cotton paper recall the texture of Xuan paper and historical campus publications. Under soft illumination, archival content emerges, connecting visitors to specific moments in the university’s history. Custom solid brass elements unify structure and lighting while maintaining a restrained, cohesive material palette. Lattice motifs reinterpret traditional forms to bridge classical Chinese gardens, early modern campus architecture, and contemporary academic spirit, deepening collective memory and architectural identity.
A Boya Pagoda model in the lobby anchors the space physically, while immersive digital media reimagines campus landscapes, historical figures, and the upward-looking spatial experience of ancient caisson ceilings. These elements create a dialogue between past and present, material and digital, tangible and conceptual. Prefabricated modular construction, including off-site fabrication and on-site assembly, ensures minimal disruption to the hotel while preserving operational continuity.
Overall, the project translates intellectual and cultural heritage into a compact, layered, and highly expressive space. Every design choice—from materiality to spatial composition—emphasizes storytelling, memory, and cultural reinterpretation, making the store a memorable and immersive experience for students, alumni, and broader audiences alike.