Bookstores have always been an important role in book discovery and book culture. For bookstores to remain successful, the key is to improve the experience of buying books. Inspired by "Tao Hua Yuan Ji" by Tao Qian, a Chinese literary masterpiece version of Utopia, the concept is to make the bookstore a getaway where people can slow down, feel relaxed, and peaceful in a busy city context. By visualizing the journey of the fisherman in “ Tao Hua Yuan Ji ”, this project becomes a physical representation of utopia for book lovers.

Originally from China, Yuan is an interior designer based in New York. With years of professional training in painting, she has developed a keen eye for details and aesthetics of the design. Yuan studied interior design at the New York School of Interior Design for her bachelor degree. During this time and after graduating from the school, she worked with Kelly Wearstler in Los Angles and Tonychi and Associates in New York, where she wields her skills from all design aspects with extensive experience on high end residential and hospitality design.