The Hometown Moon by Syn Architects

_project: The Hometown Moon
_architecture: Syn Architects
_location: Daolang Town, Tai’an City, Shandong Province

In every type of building or structure, there is a story to be told. Whether it is spiritual, a home for the family or a workspace for business, architects must have specific intentions during its design. These intentions will continue to tell their story long after the building has gone. Meaningful architecture goes beyond aesthetics and functionality and architects who set out to tell a story are those who leave a lasting impression.

The Hometown Moon has a design that blends into nature and stimulates the soul. This unique project consists of a chapel and an observation deck. During the design process, the studio strove to evoke feelings of harmony, perpetuity, continualness, and comprehensiveness by incorporating the essence of Buddhism and the presence of surrounding natural elements into the design. Once immersed in the sound of birds chirping, water trickling or leaves rustling, visitors enter the powerful space that brings them to peace.

For Zou Yingxi, the chief architect, the Hometown Moon is an emotional place where happiness happens. For him, the most meaningful event that took place here, was the opening ceremony of the building itself. Furthermore, this is a place where so many events can happen here and many things become possible. The project was created as part of a campaign to promote the natural attractions in the mountains of Shandong. It infuses a deep meaning into the design by creating a rhetoric that gives this ceremony hall the function of escaping conventionalism. It combines abstract and geometric shapes to make a meditative space.

The Hometown Moon offers a beautiful and dreamlike space. It’s a moon that never sets.

_written by Daniela Moreira Silva
_film by HUASHENGSTUDIO & Architecture Hunter
_cover image by 郑焰建筑摄影
_drawings by Syn Architects:

1. Sketch
2. Landscape Sketch
3. Site Plan
4. First Floor Plan
   
5. Second Floor Plan
   
6. Rooftop Floor Plan
   
7. Section