Fendi at Temple Dongjingyuan — FENDI hand in hand Craft Exhibition (2023)

A restored Beijing temple courtyard hosted FENDI's 'hand in hand' craft exhibition, pairing Yi culture with artisanal bag-making.

The venue

Temple Dongjingyuan is a restored temple complex in Beijing arranged around enclosed courtyards, with traditional halls, timber framing and stone-paved circulation. It operates as a cultural and events venue rather than a conventional gallery, and its rooms and outdoor passages are normally used for exhibitions, performances and gatherings. The site retains a quiet, historic character distinct from the city's commercial venues.

How the space was used

For the exhibition, the temple's halls and courtyards were adapted into a sequence of display rooms, craft demonstrations and immersive spaces. Selected handbags and artisan-making presentations were placed within the historic rooms, while the outdoor circulation connected the different zones. The installation set digital experiences against the physical setting, and the Yi cultural references were introduced through scenography rather than conventional museum cases.

Why it works here

A heritage courtyard suits a craft exhibition because its rooms and passages already slow visitors down and provide a domestic, handmade scale. The contrast between traditional architecture and a luxury brand's digital scenography is legible here, and the enclosed site keeps the presentation separate from surrounding retail streets.