Mo Zheng & Martin Miller Design
“The Peaceful Elephant” I Do Artist
An Artistic jewelry store collaborated with Artist Yue Minjun
AntiStatics Architecture
A highly expressive, embracing and inspiring experience
Immersive experience: primitive romantic space VS. Bustling urban environment
The I Do artist store in Wuhan, China blends uniquely spatial and sculptural elements to create a highly expressive, embracing and inspiring experience. The feature work of the collaboration between AntiStatics Architecture and renowned artist Yue Min Jun is specifically “the peaceful elephant,” symbolic within Chinese and Asian culture as a representation of “a peaceful world and mature grain in society.” Within the space a smooth and fluid cave-like space is carved out of the interiors wrapping the visitors in a continuously fluid environment and drawing people through the floor plan. The detailing of the displays embedded within the walls and freestanding throughout the space suggest massive geologic formations emerging from the erosive spatial constructs of the interior. As a whole the geometries present a diverse yet synergistic unity of form.
The conceptual drivers behind this project are linked to the manifestation of forms expressive of natural origin and organic determination. The dynamism of fluid medias and particle systems are simulated and installed throughout the space, not only to expressing the performance of liquids but always as an interaction between two foci, emphasizing the emergent condition and interdependence between individuals. Embracing the concept of phusiphilia, or the inherent attraction towards natural forms and aesthetics, the waves and vibrations populate the white surface of the walls, modulated by light running along the perimeter enhancing the depth and form creating an architecture expressive of fluidity and contributing to the excitement and stimulation of the user.
Architects: AntiStatics Architecture (Beijing+ New York)
Lead Architects: Martin Miller+ Mo Zheng
Team: Yasser Hafizs, Theodorius E. D. Santoso, Christopher Beckett, Annie Liu, Demi Chang, Arthur Yang, Frank Feng
Project location: Wuhan, Hubei China
Completion Year: 2021
Designed Year：2018-2020
Gross Built Area (square meters): 250 sqm
Photo credits: (in ‘first name last name’ order): Dachou Photography
Collaborated Artist：Yue Minjun
Main Contractor: Yueben Shanghai
Client：HIERSUN
visitors are drawn to the space through the outstanding elephant formation visible throughout the bustling urban environment of central wuhan
Façade Night Lighting effect features artist Yue Minjun’s Signature laughing face. Symbolically, the elephant and figures represent the wisdom, strength and unity.
The I Do artist store in Wuhan, China blends uniquely spatial and sculptural elements to create a highly expressive, embracing and inspiring experience.
Core Visual: The unity of symbolic elements and cutting-edge fabrication technology
The massive 9m steel sculpture of the life size elephant features two of Yue Min Jun’s signature figures intimately crouching on each other’s shoulders and rising from the first floor space of the space and emerging on the second floor. Symbolically, the elephant and figures represent the wisdom, strength and unity as a projection of the relationships which emerge from those coming into the store. In execution the sculpture innovates and entirely new methodology for the creation of space and form. Utilizing large scale wax 3d printing and investment casting, the process creates a sparse yet highly structural lattice inspired simultaneously by cellular biology and the atomic structures of the diamond. The unified formation of both symbolical elements and cutting edge fabrication technologies suggests a novel way forward for both architecture and the arts, seeking to unify elements from all fields rather than segregation of procedures and mentalities.
Upon closer inspection the continuation of the figure in to the interior entices the observer to investigate further the interior environments, where one is removed from the excitation of the street.
9-meter tall sculpture with Yue Minjun’s figures raised up from 1st floor to 2nd floor
The detail and precision of the unprecedented sculpture pierces through the floor plate with Yue Min Jun’s signature figures.
”The peaceful elephant”art installation structure system diagram
Natural Inspiration: soft fluid layered rock formation and diamond structure
The interior cave space is light and airy with fluid ribbons of robotically milled form work continuously wrapping the space, and further enveloping the visitors within and warm embrace. Reminiscent of the erosion of the earth through natural processed formations are organic in their fluidity and precise in their definition, a gentle reference to the reconstitution of naturally formed elements into precisely manufactured objects. The inverse relationship can be found in the custom designed and fabricated displays and furniture, finding formal inspiration within the geometric formations while using hand crafted processes for their construction.
Lighting color changes through the gaps of the “cave surface”.
1st Floor art experience area with the “cave atrium”
”Diamond structured” displays grows from the cave wall and the floor
The diamond structured display cases formation
Looking down to the cave-like space with custom designed and fabricated displays and furniture from the spiral stairs.
The sculpture is enticing one to climb the twisting stair into the most intimate of upper floors.
Thinking about the future: the combination of art, technology and retail
Visitors are drawn to the space through the outstanding elephant formation visible throughout the bustling urban environment of central Wuhan. Upon closer inspection the continuation of the figure in to the interior entices the observer to investigate further the interior environments, where one is removed from the excitation of the streetscape and welcomed into the calming cave. The detail and precision of the unprecedented sculpture pierces through the floor plate with Min Jun’s signature figures expressively emoting exuberant gestures of love and joy enticing one to climb the twisting stair into the most intimate of upper floors. Here one is able to directly address these figures as a moment of reflection and wonder, awe and inspiration for what the future may hold, for themselves and the larger world in an expressive celebration of the most cutting edge of spatial manifestations.
Façade Night Lighting effect along the Han-river commercial walking street
Architecture, art and urban relationship concept diagram
Facade daytime view: digital wind simulated “cave-like” wall
Utilizing large scale wax 3d printing and investment casting, the process creates a sparse yet highly structural lattice inspired simultaneously by cellular biology and the atomic structures.
Here one is able to directly address these figures as a moment of reflection and wonder, awe and inspiration for what the future may hold.
selected mock-up area technical diagram
selected mock-up area in the factory, GRG and metal work
I Do Artist store 1st floor
I Do Artist store 2nd floor,
Design visualization of the facade with the Art Installation, 2018/2020
Design visualization of the facade with the Art Installation, 2018/2020
Design visualization of the first floor interior, 2018
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