Zubenji - Leisure Design Studio

Discover the Secret Realm

The Secret Realm can be far away –

Vast universe, there are too many unknown things, such as whether there is another habitable Earth; the Secret Realm can also be close – it's right in your city, right beside you. You will always have your own hidden corner. This is not a place where you need to sit upright; it's outside your 8-hour workday, providing another interpretation for 'urban leisure.' It belongs to everyone who lives with intention, pursues enriching perceptions. Located in the Upper District of Shangyu, Shaoxing, Zubenji is unlike many traditional foot studios that are cramped. The spacious area, exquisite lighting, make relaxation even more comfortable and pleasant.

In line with the overall architectural creation of natural elements, it pursues the simplicity and plasticity of space, transforming the large space into a small space, validating the saying 'form follows function.' It also hides volcanic stone and iron art elements in the details of the foot studio, such as wooden partitions, lighting at the staircase, and flowing fountains. Besides decorative lights, there is no overly bright light source here. It offers a different atmosphere – the Secret Realm – vintage birdcages, elephant stone carvings, and potted root carvings displayed indoors, with the sound of mountains and water creating an atmosphere and intent that makes you forget that it is also part of this Zen space.

To dispel the feeling that exquisite space makes people shy away, designer Liu Bin uses rare plant floral arrangements, distinctive Taihu stone, and potted plants from all over the world, and trees are dotted around the space corners to enrich the visual side. The Taihu stone at the elevator of the SPA is echoed with the patterns of the background lighting, creating a feeling of being detached. Dark-colored spaces are enveloped by flowers and fragrance and nature, providing space for guests and hosts to stop and linger, hoping that this covers the freshest state of nature and people.

Here, wood, cement, brass... all materials have a warm tone, and they can show a more lustrous sheen as they age and are touched by people. If you have some leisure time, why not come here to relax and remember the past? In the most real and authentic space, enjoy the scent and time of the mountains, and the design brings a humble and exclusive comfortable memory here.

Compared to expensive and luxurious materials, function and aesthetics are the primary considerations of designer Liu Bin. When furniture is elevated to the height of art design, it's more like creating 'functional sculptures.' For example, calligraphy is a discipline that is somewhat abstract and needs to be understood through abstract language. The bas-reliefs on the passage walls, like flowing dragon and snake, or calligraphy, are all small surprises and a persistent obsession with old times that are carried by these small objects, just like a person leaving traces in the big data era, reconstructing the design's authenticity through fragments.

By blurring the boundaries of space, designer Liu Bin constructs a 'field,' with the entire interior transforming into a fascinating venue during the transition. Flip, fold, and shift, like a magician's props, expand and extend the perceived scale from both physical and visual aspects. Standing out from the traditional heavy elements, it chooses Zen in the contemporary rational, and Zubenji opened store organically combines Eastern aesthetics with the rhythm of the times, presenting an ideal leisure and life painting that is harmoniously blended with nature and humans.

Project Name: Zubenji Opened Store

Design Company: Lu Design Institute

Principal Designer: Liu Bin

Interior Design: Jiang Xiaoxia

Floral Design: Butterfly-Love Floral Design

Main Materials: Volcanic Stone, Cement Panels, Iron Art

Project Address: Shaoxing City

Area: 5000㎡

Photography by: Three Images by Lu Bin