reshape — Baicai Design

Project

Retail
Cultural
Restaurants and Bar
Cafe and Bakery
Other

Reshape Space

Reshape Space is located within a shopping mall in the bustling area of Orchard Road in Singapore, serving as an offline composite space that combines fitness and education. It aims to create a youthful and vibrant learning space through strategic spatial planning.

Project Info:

Status: built, 2021
Area: 337 sqm
Client: Reshape Academy
Location: Singapore

In our floor plan, we have separated the fitness and training instruction spaces through the reception area at the entrance, allowing each space to function independently without disturbing the other. We analyzed the level of activity within the space and planned the layout through zoning methods to accommodate different uses.

We have dedicated the entire 180-degree corner floor-to-ceiling window area to the open learning zone, maximizing natural light and a sense of openness, which aligns more closely with the space's free and open orientation. The fitness area is located in the rectangular space to the left of the entrance. We have naturally planned out the equipment zone, the treadmill training area, and the free weight area based on the dimensions of all the equipment.

The spatial orientation is aimed at being youthful, vibrant, healthy, and growth-oriented. We have selected bright yellow as the dominant color, threading it through different spaces as a guiding motif. Yellow serves as the color for spatial floor guidance, aesthetic embellishments within the space, and is also integrated into the color scheme of the fitness equipment. Our hope is for the final presentation to be both distinctive and cohesive, creating a harmonious space for interaction and learning.

About

Baicai Design is a multidisciplinary design practice based in New York and Shenyang, working across architecture, interiors, exhibitions, and spatial design. Its practice spans different geographies, scales, and cultural contexts.

Founded by Kaiwen Zhao, Baicai is shaped by his interdisciplinary background in design and architecture. Zhao studied Industrial Design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Architecture at the Yale School of Architecture. He currently teaches in the Department of Industrial Design at RISD, and has previously taught at the University of Colorado Denver, lectured at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and served as a guest critic at Syracuse University.

Baicai approaches space beyond the conventional boundaries of interior design, bringing together architectural and product design thinking to address spatial questions. Through different scales of intervention, we explore the relationships between space, objects, and human behavior.

Awards

FRAME Wellness Space of the year Shortlisted
2026

Paris Design Awards Winner
2026

MUSE Design Awards Gold Winner
2026

Dezeen China Rising Firm of the Year
2025

POSITION Award China Best 100 Young Architect
2024

Guangzhou Design Week 40 Under 40
2024

AD China 100 YOUNG
2022-2024

Architizer Best Young Interior Design Firm Special Mention
2024

Forbes China 30 Under 30
2023

FRAME Small Residential of the year Shortlisted
2023

FRAME Award Best Emerging Designer Nominee
2023

APIDA Design Award Excellence Award
2023

FRAME Pop-up Store of the Year
2022

FRAME Window Display of the Year Shortlisted
2022

WYDF TOP 100 Designer
2022

Dezeen Award Shortlisted
2022

Architecture Masterprize Best of The Bests
2022

AD China 100 YOUNG
2020-2022

Architecture Masterprize Honorable Mention
2022

KUKAN Design Award Shortlisted
2022

DNA Award Winner in Workplace Design
2022

DNA Award Honorable Mention in Workplace Design
2022

DNA Award Honorable Mention in Showroom Design
2022

K-Design Award Winner
2022

Novum Design Award Gold Award
2022

Novum Design Award Silver Award
2022

IDA Design Award Honorable Mention
2022

FRAME Best of the Month
2022 April

Design for Asia Award Bronx Award
2021

Design for Asia Award Excellence Award
2021

IDEA Design Award Finalist
2021

Golden Pin Design Award Winner
2021

Golden Pin Design Award Honorable Mention
2022

Press

Baicai Design’s work has received international media coverage across architecture, design, fashion, and culture. The studio has been featured in publications including Gestalten, INTERIORS, AD China, FRAME, Interior Design China, My Home, and id+c, alongside leading global platforms such as Dezeen, Leibal, Architizer, Divisare, Vogue, ELLE China, Yatzer, Cosmopolitan, gooood, Archilovers, Designverse, and Archello.