Sherry Shen

For both of us, this recognition means that a living, breathing building, together with the brand story embedded within it, has been seen by an international audience. It affirms not only the architectural and spatial design, but also the close collaboration that allowed the values of June 1st to take physical form. Most importantly, it provides another meaningful way for the brand to be discovered and understood globally through architecture.

For June 1st, the project has become a defining flagship and a clear expression of the brand’s identity, demonstrating how minimalist architecture can convey the brand’s character, purpose, and emotional values. The project has already attracted considerable attention in Taiwan, helping to strengthen the brand’s positioning and influence. This achievement reinforces our dedication to authentic brand expression, while encouraging our team to pursue future projects with the same clarity and conviction.

Experimentation was essential to translating an abstract brand philosophy into a tangible spatial experience. Inside, an expansive mud wall became a central design element, while clean lines, artificial lighting, and the changing silhouettes created by sunlight were composed to form a restrained yet dynamic atmosphere. Outside, we preserved generous open space and shaped a small mound to introduce a sense of the forest into the urban environment. Spatial setbacks and deliberate white space were also used to express the brand’s sincerity without relying on overt decoration. Each experiment emerged from continuous dialogue and our shared willingness to explore how the space itself could communicate.

One of the most unusual sources of inspiration was not a particular object or visual reference, but a simple human wish. From the brand perspective, Sherry hoped to create a place that would encourage guests to converse more with the people around them. Together, we translated this social intention into a minimalist spatial language and a carefully composed atmosphere that leaves room for people, conversation, and shared experiences. It reminded us that a meaningful design concept can begin with a desired human behavior rather than a predetermined visual form.

We wish more people understood that design is not simply the final appearance of a space. It begins with listening, defining a clear purpose, testing different possibilities, and making countless decisions that must all support the same central idea. In this project, the clean architectural lines, natural elements, interior atmosphere, and landscape were not separate gestures. Together, they position the building as the soul of June 1st and give lasting physical form to the brand’s values. A successful design is therefore not merely a structure. It becomes an integral part of the brand itself.

In this project, the balance came naturally because the aspirations of June 1st and the overarching design vision were closely aligned. From the beginning, we established a shared understanding of what the space needed to communicate, how visitors should experience it, and the level of aesthetic restraint required. Clear and frequent communication allowed the brand’s purpose and our creative judgment to reinforce, rather than compete with, one another. Our common objective was to create a building that could stand as a definitive expression of the spirit of June 1st.

Although the overall process was relatively smooth, the project required sustained coordination across architecture, interior design, and landscaping, as well as careful responses to weather-related conditions. Maintaining one cohesive aesthetic standard across every aspect of the project was the greatest challenge. We addressed this through frequent communication, step-by-step review, and an uncompromising approach to execution. Whenever a detail failed to meet the intended quality, it was dismantled and redone. This shared commitment allowed the completed work to remain faithful to both the brand vision and the original design concept.

We each recharge our creativity through observation, reflection, and open dialogue. We explore a wide range of works, give ourselves time to absorb what we have seen, and then reconnect those impressions with our own standards of beauty and the values the project needs to express. Stepping back from immediate problem-solving often allows the right direction to emerge more clearly. Through continued observation and emotional engagement, different thoughts and references gradually develop into a coherent creative direction.

Attentive listening, patience, sincerity, and respect for craftsmanship were the values we brought most strongly to this project. From the brand perspective, Sherry provided a clear understanding of what June 1st should represent and how guests should feel when experiencing the space. From the design perspective, Ryson translated those intentions into architecture through spatial composition, material, light, and proportion. The most demanding task was ensuring that the completed environment remained faithful to the brand’s original purpose. This required both of us to communicate openly and approach every decision with the same shared objective.

Our advice is to pursue what you genuinely love and what you are willing to refine over time. Success is rarely the result of a single idea. It comes from sustained learning, accumulated experience, patience, and the courage to develop a distinctive point of view. Whether working in brand building or design, remain open to dialogue while staying clear about the values you want your work to represent. With time and consistent practice, those values will gradually develop into your own recognisable voice.

Among the designers we would be most interested in collaborating with, Tadao Ando immediately comes to mind. The purity of his fair-faced concrete architecture and his use of light, proportion, and restraint to create emotional depth have long inspired Ryson. The clarity and timelessness of his work also resonate with the values Sherry sought to express through June 1st. We both admire how his architecture demonstrates that minimalism is not emptiness, but a disciplined way of revealing the essence of a place. This philosophy closely reflects our shared pursuit in this project: allowing architecture to convey a brand’s spirit with clarity, sincerity, and an enduring presence.

Our answer is that we hope visitors can sense the original intention of June 1st and the genuine sincerity behind its artisanal gifts, not only through the products themselves, but also through the architecture, materials, light, and atmosphere surrounding them. If the space allows people to experience that sincerity intuitively, then the collaboration between brand and design has achieved its deepest purpose.