Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale ab Zehua Zhang

Opus Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale a designatore Zehua Zhang est victor maxime honoratus praemii praestigiosissimi 2026 Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Certaminis Architectura.

AesArchitectura· 2026

Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale

a Zehua Zhang

Cliens: Zehua Zhang

Victor praemii Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Architectura

6,770

Victor Praemii Verificatus

Verifica Statum Praemii pro #180613

Vide apud A' Design Award Communicatum Insigne Praemii

Colores

Designum

De Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale

Textus Libri: Catalysator Temporis est propositum quod vinariam quondam Valentiae ad usum culturalem publicum accommodat. Designatio structuram existentem et murum latericium retinet, dum apertiones additas inducit ad lucem, aditum, et nexus inter interiorem et exteriorem partem augendos. Partibus tecti remotis, designator aulam internam creat quae lucem diurnam et regionem in aedificium adducit. Interior pars studia, expositiones, et actiones communitatis capit, conservationem cum interventionibus selectis aequans ut aedificium in usu permanere possit.

Agnitio

De Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum

Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale victor est Praemii A' Design Award Aeneum, honoris multum aestimati formis egregiis, creandi ingenio, sollertia et acumine insignibus dati. Victores Aenei opera perita et mire creandi sunt, quae experientiam, imaginationem et solertiam auctorum suorum confirmant. Exspectatur Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale rem multum aestimatam, admiratam et carissimam, notabiliter professionalem et novam fore. Haec forma Aeneo victa optimas consuetudines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae amplectitur et in cura minutiarum excellit. Time Catalyst Munus Primum: Centrum Culturale necessitates egregie explet, cupiditates tangit, sensus capit et curiositatem allicit.

Post Designum

Fasciculus Nuntii

Merita, sodales gregis et singula technica a designatore praebita.

Proprietates Singulares: Time Catalyst transforms a historic Valencia winery into a vibrant cultural center where memory and vitality coexist. Honoring its structural framework, the exterior preserves the original brick texture, while rhythmic openings at the base blur inside and outside. Interior volumes with curved facades echo the exterior, fostering fluidity and continuity, and the site embodies both the heritage and the spirit of the Fallas festival in Valencia, bridging past and future.
Dimensiones et Involucrum: Two-story building with overall dimensions of 75 meters in width, 75 meters in depth, and 23 meters in height.
Notulae: Historic preservation, adaptive reuse, brick facade, structural framework, spatial fluidity, interior-exterior continuity, cultural center, curved volumes, communal space
Technologia Productionis: This design balances cultural heritage with contemporary interventions. The original brick facade was restored to preserve its texture, while curved glass panels echo its language. Inside, UHPC ultra thin concrete slabs and steel I beams combine lightness with structural stability. Computer-aided simulations and 3D modeling optimized spatial relationships, integrating old and new elements to create a dynamic, vibrant experience.
Provocatio Designandi: The original materials and structure of the historic building were preserved, while selective demolition was carried out. Structural analysis was performed, and the feasibility and adaptability of introducing new building structures and materials were comprehensively evaluated.
Investigatio: Type of Research: Design-based architectural research on adaptive reuse. Research Objectives: To convert a historic winery into a cultural center while preserving heritage and enhancing social use. Methodology: Analysis of history, structure, and environment, tested through simulations and models. Data Collection and Research Tools Used: Archives, drawings, site photos, 3D modeling, daylight and airflow simulations, and material studies. Results: Informed spatial layouts, openings, and materials. Insights and Impacts: Demonstrated how historic buildings can support contemporary cultural life. Effect in Real Life: Promotes heritage preservation, community interaction, and sustainable design.
Inspiratio: Time Catalyst is inspired by the dialogue between history and contemporary life. The old winery’s brick walls carry memory, and I aimed to preserve this while introducing new vitality. Valencia’s Fallas festival, with its communal energy and fluidity, inspired the building’s openness and curved interior volumes, blurring inside and outside. The design celebrates cultural heritage while activating the space for modern social and creative life.
Duratio Operis: The project started in June 2025 and was completed in October 2025
Cursus Operationis: This is a renovation and adaptive reuse project for an old winery, preserving its historical character while introducing new vitality, transforming it into a cultural center that provides a space for local residents and artists to connect and express their creativity. The main spaces include creative studios, artist workshops, a performance hall, classrooms, exhibition areas, and a public courtyard.