Bishan
Bishan is a bookstore set inside a former ancestral hall in Bishan Village, Yi County, Anhui. The hall, a Wang family shrine, was built more than 230 years ago during the Qing Dynasty. The project covers 420 square meters and adapts a protected historic building to present-day cultural use. Natural materials such as wood, bamboo and stone shape the interior, while the bookcase wall is finished in white rammed earth. Cement board supports the bookcase wall and limits damage caused by ground moisture. The form of the bookcase wall recalls painted screens and frames a central reading area.
Bishan Bookstore by Zhao Yunhai was identified as an exceptional representation of communication design by the A' Design Awards. Bishan Bookstore earned the Golden A' Design Award in Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design in 2025. The A' Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design Award is an international, jury-voted, fair and ethical design prize that honors superior design of cultural heritage projects, cultural conversation, preservation, restoration and protection projects, heritage architecture and more.
