How does a ‘good life’ actually happen?

From the 8th to the 11th of July 2026, the architectural and design industries gathered at the China (Guangzhou) International Building Decoration Fair (CBD Fair) —widely recognised as the world's premier exhibition for the home decoration and construction sectors. Serving as a crucial barometer for global design trends, this year’s fair provided the perfect stage for one of the most forward-thinking curatorial experiments of the decade: ‘THE PLACE - Season 2’ (栖居之界·第二季).

Co-organised by the Wanhua Investment Group and the A8 Design Centre, ‘THE PLACE’ was curated across four intersecting dimensions: residential products, commercial spaces, social communities, and participatory neighbourhood renewal. It highlighted a vital shift in modern placemaking—moving away from top-down governance towards internal, community-driven growth. The core philosophy of the exhibition resonated perfectly with our own ethos: the future of ideal living is about reconstructing relationships, lifestyles, and community ecosystems.

This thematic exhibition brought together over 50 international design forces, urban operators, and community innovators to foster a fundamental question behind the ultimate mission of the curation, if not the fair in entirety: How does ‘good life’ actually happen?

As a practice deeply invested in architecture, design, and placemaking, we brought two of our recent projects - Flavour Library and The Good Wo Days - to join the dialogue about the future of our built environments and showcase our vision for community-centric design.

Learn more about our latest projects and our approach to placemaking.