Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang is built around the idea of perspective — not just visual depth, but the way places carry different eras at once. Shanghai has several beautiful water towns in its wider region, and Zhouzhuang is one of the most recognisable: narrow canals, low bridges, tiled roofs and a rhythm of life that feels unchanged even as the modern city grows around it.

On the dial, the river narrows into the distance until it meets the limits of the circular space, almost disappearing into a two-dimensional point. That shrinking perspective is deliberate. It gives a sense of depth in an area only a few centimetres wide, and it mirrors the feeling of walking through a real water town — the way long, straight canals guide your eye and slow down your pace.

The buildings are kept simple and calm, with just enough detail to feel lived in without overloading the scene. The focus stays on the water and the sense of space it creates. Instead of romanticising the town, the artwork shows it as it is: a quiet place with light, reflection and timeless architecture.

It’s a small window into a landscape that has survived modernisation, holding its character while the world around it accelerates.