‘Body Wisdom Studio’ is the world’s first venue designed to introduce Tai Chi to a youthful demographic. Tai Chi is a slow, tranquil form of Chinese martial arts that is at risk of being forgotten and is mainly practiced by seniors in urban parks. This venue aims to showcase it as a ‘cool’ activity on par with Yoga, piercing the stereotype to unveil Tai Chi’s traditions and philosophies.
As Tai Chi was invented in the Ming Dynasty, architectural features of the era are abstracted into bold geometric forms, while colors and textures allude to fight clubs in Hong Kong Kung Fu movies.
The floorplan represents 2 diametrically opposed forces: Yin and Yang, informed by daylighting. 'Yang' space, receiving the most natural sunlight due to its Southern Exposure, accommodates group training, while 'Yin' space, more subdued, cater to traditional holistic treatments. Tai Chi is practiced in parks during the morning so the studio, likewise, simulates this by allowing in ample daylight throughout the day, modulated by smart lighting, and by evoking morning mist in a forest via an uplit wooden wall. An intermediary 'Balanced' space represents a tea room where guests from both spaces mingle.
