YIWU

The Yìwǔ Tavern in this case is located in Eastern Suburb Memory, Chengdu. We drew inspiration from the Four Mythical Beasts of China — the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise — transforming these traditional motifs into ultra-simplified super symbols, which serve as visual patterns running through every decorative surface of the space. The color matrix extends outward layer by layer from the central field, and by diminishing elaborate ornamentation, we intensify the space's intuitive perception and visual tension.

In terms of spatial layout, the first and second floors take the central stage as the pivot between heaven and earth, with the Four Mythical Beasts positioned respectively in the east, west, south, and north. By leveraging the building's voided structure, we achieve a three-dimensional dialogue between the upper and lower levels. Whether guests are on the first or second floor, they are enveloped by the totems of the Four Spirits, creating an immersive mythological experience of 'people within the formation, spirit beasts encircling' — as if placed in an ancient secret realm, where mystery and ritual atmosphere arise naturally.

Rhythms of the Mythical Beasts

In designing the Yìwǔ Tavern, we took abstracted symbols as the visual core, transforming the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise into ultra-simplified super symbols — geometric beast heads. These condensed yet powerful graphic languages run throughout, forming a highly recognizable spatial identity.

The Four Symbols of the Universe

Based on the distinctive markings of each of the Four Mythical Beasts, we further extracted a series of totemic textures and applied them to walls, partitions, floors, and other decorative surfaces. These patterns not only extend the imagery of the mythical beasts but also, through modern design techniques, construct a rich mythological narrative atmosphere that reinforces the overall visual tension of the space.

Vertical Interconnection

We take the central stage as the pivot between heaven and earth, with the Four Mythical Beasts positioned respectively in the east, west, south, and north, and by making full use of the building's voided area, we plan to install a suspended central installation to achieve vertical interconnection and three-dimensional dialogue between the first and second floors, breaking the separation between levels.