KASE is a minimalist interior located in Wuxi, China, designed by STUDIO 4/301. The adaptive reuse project by STUDIO 4/301 draws immediate attention through its masterful integration of traditional Chinese woodworking techniques. The designers didn’t merely appropriate historical forms for decorative purposes—they studied and extracted the structural logic of traditional crescent beams (月牙梁), developing a modular display system that honors craftsmanship while serving contemporary retail needs.

This systematic approach to the display units offers practical flexibility, allowing for reconfiguration in future stores while maintaining a consistent brand language. It’s a thoughtful solution that acknowledges retail’s evolving nature while remaining rooted in material tradition.

The designers’ respect for the existing structure is evident in their preservation strategy. Oak panels installed 100mm from the walls create a protective barrier at human-touch height, while the upper portions of the walls retain their original texture beneath protective paint. This balance between preservation and intervention creates a layered material narrative that honors the building’s century of existence.

Above, the traditional Chinese roof structure remains intact, creating a dialogue with the newly crafted display units below. There’s a visual rhyme between old and new that never slips into mere imitation, maintaining tension between historical precedent and contemporary intervention.

The material palette shows careful consideration and testing. Oriented strand board, painted a warm white through multiple iterations until achieving the perfect atmospheric tone, creates a neutral backdrop for the small-scale products. Storage needs are cleverly integrated beneath display shelves, eliminating the need for separate storage areas and maintaining the space’s visual coherence.