[ Aurora Design ] Shan Ding You Feng

Aurora Design-Shan Ding You Feng

A Photography Art Space in China Captures Nature's Serenity Through Light and Geometry

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Located in Dali, a city on the shores of the Erhai Lake in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, Shan Ding You Feng is a photography studio that masterfully blends architecture, nature, and human emotion. Designed by the interior design practice Aurora Design for the travel photography brand Mu Shi Photography, the space harmonises contemporary design with its breathtaking natural surroundings, think a scenic alpine lake is bordered by the cedar- and oak covered Cangshan mountains. Serving as a multifunctional venue for exhibitions, cultural salons, and creative workshops, the project embodies an artistic celebration of light, geometry, and materiality in a space that resonates with the rhythms of its environment, reflecting the brand’s ethos of capturing precious memories.

Originally designed as a hotel, the two storey building was reimagined through a soulful design language of simplicity and organic beauty that pays homage to the traditional regional vernacular. Large new windows punctuating the white exterior maximise natural light, framing ever-changing views of the surrounding greenery and lake. Combined with a restructured spatial configuration that encourages a free flow of air and light, these apertures invite the outdoors in, dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior. They also foster an interplay of shadow and light that shifts throughout the day, infusing the interiors with a dynamic and poetic rhythm.

The lime plastered walls serve as an understated yet versatile backdrop for exhibitions, providing a neutral canvas that highlights the displayed works without distraction. At the same time, they poetically enhance the changing hues of daylight, reflecting warm tones at sunrise and cooler shades as the sun sets, further connecting the interiors to the natural world outside.

The building’s new layout emphasises openness and fluidity. The ground floor, with its soaring ceiling height, provides a spacious environment ideal for exhibitions and gatherings. Doorways of varying shapes and heights punctuate the lime-plastered walls, enhancing the sense of depth and brightness. The upper level, primarily designed for photography sessions and workshops, continues the theme of openness and luminosity. Skylights allow sunlight to cascade into the interiors, while meticulously placed windows frame the distant peaks and water. The mezzanine level echoes the morphology of the surrounding mountains with its irregular, angular contours that protrude into the double-height ground floor spaces, adding a sculptural quality to the interior.

Materials also play a central role in the spatial narrative. Stone bricks, clay, cork, and soft wood are sourced locally, grounding the design in its natural environment. The tactile surfaces evoke a sense of timelessness, capturing the rugged beauty of nearby Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake. The use of earthy tones and raw textures bridges the artificial and the organic, creating a tranquil haven that feels eternal yet firmly rooted in its locale.

More than a photography studio, the venue is a timeless expression of romantic connection and artistic vision, a place where creativity and the beauty of the natural world intertwine.
from yatzer