Aiwan: A Gathering Place Part 1 Project 2024 Dilikeremu Duolikun University of Nottingham Ningbo | China The Aiwan serves as an expository to the current yearning for local roots and real experience within Shanghai; an active, faced paced vibrant city.Emboldened by the historical and culturally rich context of the site, an area bounded by the French Quarter, Xin Hua Road and Xinfu Road, the design draws inspiration from my roots as a Uyghur from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region of China. The concept taps into the intricate tapestry of Uyghur traditions with the project emphasizing the Aiwan as an inclusive space to gather, to celebrate traditions, and a mark of the enduring spirit of a new pedigree within the larger context of a nearly homogeneous nation.Using the power of place, the project aspires to seamlessly blend traditions with modern sensibilities which invites all to partake in the magic of cultural discovery, forging bonds of understanding that which transcends language, border, and differences. Dilikeremu Duolikun Tutor(s)