Imperial Mansion Community Center by Qiyue Architects Receives the Golden A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design

The Work

Project

Imperial Mansion Community Center

Function

Community Center

Category

Architecture, Building and Structure Design

Discipline

Spatial Design

Industry

Architecture

Colors

Light Slate Gray, Dark Gray, Silver, Slate Gray and Gainsboro

Images

5

The Recognition

Laureate

Qiyue Architects

Country

China

Brand

WRight Communication

Recognition

Golden A' Design Award

Edition

2020 - 2021

Design ID

#116041

Credits

Image Credits

IMAGE by Zeng Jianghe

Design Details

Unique Properties

The project is located in the city center of Yuhuan, Taizhou, close to the Yuhuan Grand Theater and the Yuhuan Passenger Transport Center. The area is further characterized by a complete set of living facilities, healthy traffic flow, a refreshing natural environment, and a developed transportation system. The richness of commerce and life are all gathered here. Serving as an important part of a broader urban renewal plan, this project hopes to integrate a new attitude towards the future into the current local culture. Yuhuan is a classic example of a coastal city. The shape of the community center is derived from the surrounding beautiful landscape.

Inspiration

Inspired by the spirit of Carlo Scarpa, the architect hopes to reinterpret the cityscape instead of creating a series buildings isolated from the urban environment. Therefore, when planning the shape of the building, the lower part was transformed into a magnificent gray mass made up of a series of huge steps. This transformation opens up possibilities for commerce, making the community atmosphere more present and injecting an aura of city vitality.

Research

The project is heavily inspired by the spirit of Carlo Scarpa, especially in the formation of the staircase, and serves as an attempt to create a landmark. Working under various limitations, the design team effectively responded to the environment and the urban culture surrounding the project, further taking into consideration the functionality of the buildings and the natural flow of people.

Challenge

The community center is positioned in the southwest corner of the plot amongst a healthy flow of people and traffic. The position also allows for a clear display of the building. Taking on the dual role as a community symbol in the early stage and a commercial district in a later stage, the primary challenges of the project are as follows: How to make the entrance more attractive while simultaneously developing it as a landmark within the city? How to build the community center and the interior commercial district in phases while having the two smoothly integrate in the future? How to draw a healthy people flow into the interior commercial district in the later phase of the project?

Realization and Technology

The façade of the community center consists of large areas of glass walls, presenting a simple and natural sense of sophistication. At the same time, the material echoes the city landscape and prevents the community center from appearing oppressive and alienating. The color palette is dominated by various textures of gray. The combination of silvery aluminum plates and high-transmittance glass creates a surface that reflects both reality and fantasy. Taking on the dual functions of a display center in the first phase and a commercial district in the later phase, the community center has the responsibility of being both an architecturally-inspiring space and an inclusive environment.

Operation and Interaction

The urban area in which the project is located is characterized by various business interfaces and a complex flow of people. The volume of the demonstration area can easily be swallowed up by the surrounding buildings, further complicating the management of people flow. Taking advantage of the street-corner square, the architect allows the building to retreat from the city hustle in an orderly fashion, forming a plaza that opens up onto the street. This provides an open space for nearby residents to rest. Through these simple human interactions, life is injected into the entire area, attracting large numbers of people to gather and socialize, forming an “urban living room.”

Project Duration and Location

The project started in Nov. 2019 and finished in July 2020 in Tai Zhou, China

Specifications

The entrance-steps separate the building from the rest of the plan, allowing the lower area to become an urban public space, providing an image of community. At the same time, the ascending steps serves as a guide, leading the people flow to the second floor. This flow further serves as a testimony to the future commercial possibilities of the area. The neat and clean steps echo the overall architectural space, creating a spectacle for all visitors to remember. Encircling the second-story is a terrace that overlooks the entire street corner.

Keywords

community Center, open plaza, urban living room, urban public space