Daolang Town, Tai’an City, China Tai’an Ceremony Hall or The Hometown Moon Syn Architects

create inviting spaces and encourage a comfortable, cheerful living experience. The purpose of this community space and the process of identification for people moving through it are in the interdependence between shapes, colors, materials and functions. Masquespacio kept to a limited budget, choosing to restore some elements of the site being demolished and keeping its ‘grunge’ atmosphere. The industrial details — original concrete floors, pipes and exposed brick — are arranged in a well-organized color strategy with translucent partitions that define the functional areas into interconnected zones. The structure’s area covers 1,850 square meters and its open plan includes spaces for study, socializing, gathering and dining for 351 students. In addition to dormitories, the building has a kitchen, a dining room, study rooms, recreation rooms, a gym and a terrace. Ana Hernández, Masquespacio’s creative director explains, “Using the technique of color blocking we obtained a strong visual impact for

the space and at the same time we could create a clear distinction between each zone in this open space.” From pastel hues to pop colors: the color range includes pink, green, lilac, blue, yellow and red. The color blocking theme makes use of bold “proximities,” extending outdoors as well to the terrace, where green picnic tables merge within the visual boundaries in the same green, while different shades of blue border other surfaces and absorb seating in the same color, and hot pink lounge chairs are juxtaposed. Millennial pink covers the tables and chairs in the dining room, including extra-large amphitheater-style steps to allow students to sit and interact. The study areas use flexible acoustic glass panels to screen out noise and can be opened to connect to adjacent areas. Exposed bricks painted in navy blue add texture to formal study spaces and burgundy velvet awnings on circular tracks enclose group study tables when needed for greater privacy.