Image Credit : Ma Lin
Project Overview
Located in the Sino-German D-Zone Creative Park in Qingdao, China, the project serves as a museum and the Sino-German cultural exchange center, contributing to the Sino-German communication. The entire park is based on the creative design which returns to nature, creating a green, waterfront, and artistic space. Design is not to create landscape, but to integrate design into nature and add more natural vitality to nature. The multi-functional green open spaces reflect the different styles of each state. With the mix of evergreen and deciduous trees, it creates an ideal display and working environment. In the heart of the site, it is the central area, which is not only the focal point of vision, but also provides people with a place to relax. The project has improved the microclimate and stored rainwater, thus, created a good ecological environment.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Qingdao Institute of Public Architectural Design Co., Ltd.
Team
Ma Lin, Liu Shicai, Li Ke
Project Brief
The building stands on the north slope of the Sino-German D-Zone Creative Park, facing the main entrance of the park and having river landscape in the south. The design needs to solve how to make an iconic building in the park and effectively utilize the rich natural resources of the park.
Using topographical simulations, different natural topography is shaped according to the landform characteristics of each state. The design emphasizes the continuity of ecology by blending forests in different terrains to form a natural three-dimensional garden. Through the design techniques of natural landscape and the combination of art and the shape of the earth, the design makes the topography of the whole park full of texture changes, enhances the overall artistry of the park, and highlights the minimalist design concept.
Project Innovation/Need
Through sculptural methods, the architectural form adopted a Y-shaped layout. The three facades of Y adopt floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls to face different landscape centers in the park. What’s more, the three tops of the Y shape is slightly raised to enhance its iconic and sculptural characteristics. Besides, the architects focused on the coordination between the small environment around the building and the context of the park, so that the building can truly be integrated into the park. A small theater is added on the north side of the building to solve the lack of high-quality landscape on the adjacent road; while walking paths, viewing steps, decorative walls and other elements are added to the gently sloped area on the west and south side to integrate with the surrounding environment; the base on the east side is raised slightly so that the large area of lawn there can naturally connects with the building form.
Design Challenge
The main challenges are the selection and application of the building materials and the construction of the building form. The outdoor facade adopts the brick curtain wall since the rough and primitive characteristics of brick can achieve the purpose of blending with the surrounding environment. The advantage of the brick curtain wall is that there is no cement mortar and the texture is clear; it can be spliced to produce a variety of hollow effects with a strong sense of layer; the near-sighted facade has a significant effect with a high glossiness; this high quality material can highlight the uniqueness of the building facade; it is also isolated from the insulation layer to avoid thermal bridges. While the interior structure adopted fair-faced concrete. Because the construction of fair-faced concrete cannot be repaired, every process is very important. The construction team should strengthen the control of the construction process, so that the quality management of the structure construction is comprehensively improved.
Taken into account the three-sided upturned shape of the building, the interior is designed to be naturally flowing down on three sides, converging in the central pillar. There is no any other pillars in the rest of the building, which has achieved a transparent and open indoor space effect. At the same time, in order to accurately set the shape of the irregular pillar in the hall, it is parameterized to facilitate construction.
Sustainability
Fair-faced concrete is the main material for the interior space, which echoes to the outdoor brick curtain wall. It is a veritable eco-friendly concrete: the concrete structure does not need decoration, so chemical products such as coatings and finishes are omitted; the fair-faced concrete structure is formed at one time without chipping repairs or plastering, reducing a plenty of construction wastes and protecting the environment. Fair-faced decorative concrete avoids the quality problems of plaster cracking, hollowing and even shedding, and it also reduces the quality problems of structural construction, such as slurry leakage and floor cracks. It eliminates many common quality problems in construction and reduces maintenance costs, ultimately reducing the total project cost.
Architecture - Mixed Use - International
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow.
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