‘ordinance of the subconscious treatment’designed by duyi han is an artbnb apartment in jiangnan, china, transforming holiday accommodation into a live-in art experience. monochromatic hospital-like tones and furniture pieces embroidered with molecular geometries complete the interior, generating an eccentric environment. through this unique aesthetic, the project seeks to explore the topic of mental health and contemporary‘chinese-ness’.
all images courtesy of duyi han
conceived as a physical construct of mental space, the interior design by duyi han evokes the impression of both a hospital environment and historic chinese locations, by mutating the elements of a contemporary vernacular apartment. the furniture collection carries a contemporary narrative about mental health on a remix of iconic historic chinese forms that cognitively draws awe and respect. the embroidered patterns, reminiscent of classical auspicious floral, cloud symbols, and taoist talisman, portray stylized molecular structures of chemicals relating to mental health and well-being: dopamine, serotonin, sertraline, oxytocin, beta-endorphin, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, omega-3, melatonin. the embroidered texts include sentences that a therapist whispers and monologues about a traumatized person.
classical chinese furniture, especially those in religious and ceremonial contexts such as buddhist and taoist temples, often use yellow silk fabric embroidered with symbols and text that preach historic religious and folk believes in relieving pain and pursuing happiness. duyi han’s furniture collection puts a spin on this decorative function and reflects a contemporary belief in the modern scientific side of mental health. to strengthen the dream-like and therapeutic quality of the interior, all furniture surfaces are upholstered with soft foam beneath, including the top surfaces of side tables.
together, the curation of aesthetic elements in the whole project plays with the psychological tension between fear and love, authority and empathy, eeriness and familiarity, sublime and ordinary, psychedelic and sober, pain and healing, conflict and conciliation, brutality and subtlety, control and disorganization, illusion and reality, fullness and emptiness. the rooms and furniture confront, intimidate, confuse, hypnotize, provoke, embrace, soothe, or heal the visitor.
project info:
name: ordinance of the subconscious treatment
designer: duyi han
location: jiangnan, china
designboom has received this project from our‘DIY submissions‘feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom
