Frankie Lui, Founder and Principal Architect of Atelier Global, has brought a fresh perspective to architecture with his recent project, Commune STORE. Winner of the Architectural Design of the Year – Living Space at the LIV Hospitality Design Awards, this project is a remarkable example of how architecture can revitalize communities and honor traditions. Located in Houyuan Village, Fujian, Commune STORE transformed an abandoned primary school into a modern space celebrating the region’s rice culture and agricultural heritage.
With a focus on sustainability and community, Frankie’s design harmonizes the natural surroundings with modern architectural forms, utilizing local materials and engaging the village in construction. In this interview, Frankie discusses the inspiration behind the project, the challenges of working in a rural setting, and the importance of integrating local culture into contemporary design. He also shares how Commune STORE is helping to breathe new life into the area while fostering a sustainable future.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and about the history of Atelier Global Limited?
I grew up in the high-density and diverse urban environment of Hong Kong, enjoying in-depth observation of architecture, cities, and cultural life to interpret design needs. Later, I pursued advanced architecture and urban design studies at Columbia University in the United States. In 2007, I founded Atelier Global in Hong Kong, which is dedicated to exploring new possibilities in architectural design and art and promoting interdisciplinary practices. Currently, I balance design practice and academic discussions in both Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Atelier Global is composed of designers from diverse cultural backgrounds, integrating an international perspective. We focus on the openness and innovation of urban construction, establishing emotional connections between cities, architecture, people, and space through multidimensional thinking about culture, art, functional strategies, and natural forms.
What was the vision behind Commune STORE? Can you walk us through the design process, from the first conversations to the final design?
The village of Houyuan, renowned for its terraced landscape, has recently faced issues such as depopulation and abandoned farmlands, leading to the gradual disappearance of traditional rice cultivation culture. In response, the establishment of our Commune STORE aims to protect the terraced ecology through the transfer of land rights, explore sustainable agriculture techniques, and revitalize rice cultivation. This initiative seeks to attract young people back to their hometowns, making rural revitalization a reality while also creating a sustainable future for nature and the community.
During my first visit to Houyuan Village and my conversation with the owner, I was deeply inspired by the local natural environment and the human spirit of its residents. Consequently, I committed to immersing myself in design research by participating in various seasonal farming activities—such as transplanting seedlings, fertilizing, harvesting, and threshing—to experience the farming lifestyle of “working at sunrise and resting at sunset.” This hands-on engagement has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the essence of agricultural culture. As I gradually comprehend rural life, each design discussion becomes increasingly profound. With a humble heart, I aim to inherit rural culture while introducing modernity and constructing a new paradigm of living.
You’ve decided to integrate the local rice culture into the design. How was this reflected in the architecture of the structure?
First and foremost, I have to abandon the pursuit of ritualistic or nostalgic architectural forms, as well as rural decorations. Instead, the focus is on creating a space that resonates on a spiritual level, returning to a simple and unadorned living atmosphere. This is a crucial point: “The environment is shaped by the heart.” By retaining the unique cultural characteristics of the region while imbuing them with contemporary significance, we can gain back in spirit and materiality.
The fields themselves are landscapes; rather than deliberately crafting a landscape, we preserved the small slope in front of the Rice Society as terraced fields, creating a landscape connection that naturally integrates with the surrounding topography.
The ethos of “working at sunrise and resting at sunset,” combined with swimming after farming as a means of relaxation for the owner, offers a unique experience for visiting guests. Therefore, the design includes an infinity pool, the elliptical shape is inspired by the form of the terraces, constructing the imagery of a “hill”, which resonates with the existing “Carp Hill” in the neighbourhood, respecting and integrating with the site.
The design utilizes indigenous materials such as yellow clay and straw, continuing the earthy tones characteristic of regional architecture and blending in with the village organically.
Can you tell us about the thought process behind the choice of materials and how they shaped the design process?
The design integrates local landscape features, adhering to the principles of using local materials, recycling, and preservation to achieve low-carbon sustainable construction.
**Using Local Materials:** Local green bamboo is used as formworks for pouring concrete, leaving elegant bamboo patterns that add naturalistic textures to artificial architecture. The courtyard gravel is made from crushed local red stones, easily recognizable in the local landscape.
**Recycling:** Wooden boards and beams are removed from the original roof and repurposed for ceilings, doors, and cabinets. Construction waste generated during building and material transportation, such as cement blocks and broken stones, is used for paving mountain paths.
**Preservation and Restoration:** The original stone and brick walls are preserved and restored, with simple detail articulations to maintain a sense of ruralness and historical depth. The integration of old and new materials allows every brick and tile of the Rice Society to tell a story of dialogue between the past and the future.
We believe that materials serve as an important carrier of local memory.
What role did the local community play in the project, and in what way did they influence the final design?
Obsession and Co-Build Commune STORE
Although the residents on the mountain are mainly elderly, locals who went to the city for work would still return home every year during festivals and holidays. The site is a former and only school in the village; it carries a collective memory of several generations. The design avoids major alterations, aiming to preserve the emotional value of the site and allow villagers to still recall the past when passing by. By preserving the seven sixty-year-old metasequoia trees and inviting villagers to participate in the construction of the Commune STORE, the emotional connection between people and the place has been strengthened, and history and memories are relived and continue.
How do you see Commune STORE evolving in the next years, and what impact do you hope it will have on the village?
As the media coverage grows, the project will receive ongoing exposure. From an operational perspective, rural revitalization is a long-term process, with its core rooted in a cultural return. It is essential to deeply engage with the local community, gradually promoting development through continuous patience and perseverance. By integrating modern architectural operations with rural lifestyles, the aim is to advance the development of distinctive cultural tourism, create more job opportunities, encourage locals to return and rejuvenate the countryside.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while working on the project? How did you address them?
The discussion is not about a re-enacting of rural life from before, nor is it about the restoration of traditional rural architecture, nor the rough presentation of reinforced concrete, but it is about anchoring to the love for living.
In the creative process, the owner and I fully immersed ourselves in the local context through solid practices of living with local people, such as dedicating ourselves to agricultural activities, carefully preparing a meal, and calmly brewing a cup of tea. We used modern and humble intervention techniques to reshape the site, combining architectural language with natural landscapes, local materials, and structures and achieving harmony and unity between humans and nature.
This return discards the architect’s reliance on technology and materials, but instead, takes human perception and experience as the starting point, re-examining the relationship between architecture and life, transcending material forms, reflecting on and reconstructing the essence of life.
However, the biggest challenge lies in the limited transportation of materials due to rugged mountain roads and the impact of weather conditions during construction. We have learned from rural life to actively follow the laws of nature and flexibly respond to the challenges brought by seasons and geographical environments.
Congratulations on winning the “Architectural Design of the Year – Living Space” category at the LIV Awards! What does this recognition mean for you and Atelier Global Limited?
This signifies that the outstanding performance of Commune STORE is not limited to the field of architectural design but has also gained high recognition and evaluation from the industry in multiple related dimensions, such as hotel operation and rural development. This achievement reflects the comprehensive competitiveness and professional reputation of Commune STORE in interdisciplinary and cross-industry and also triggers a profound resonance among urban residents toward returning to nature.
What lessons did you learn from working on this project? Do you think you’ll apply what you learned to future projects?
Feeling with heart, observing with eyes, experiencing with body, listening with ears, and feeling the truth, this becomes the foundation for whether a project has vitality. Therefore, by deeply integrating one’s own experience with the local context and immersing oneself in it, one can design unique works.
Do you have any tips you would like to share with young designers out there?
By delving into the lifestyles of different groups of people and the unique cultures of various regions and combining one’s passion with these insights, one will continue to grow and become a better architect.
