Gold Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2025
Urban Clouds Congregate Housing
by Ya-Yuan Design, Shanghefa Development
- A' Design Award 2025 Gold Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Ya-Yuan Interior Design Service Co
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 79,471
- Verification code BAC040EF01 · Verify this award
About Urban Clouds Congregate Housing
Urban Clouds is a residential building located in an administrative and cultural district in Taiwan. The fifteen-storey structure stands on a site of 1,078 square meters, with a building area of 756 square meters. The roof uses a lattice design that turns the form of clouds into a two-dimensional pattern, developed with parametric methods. The facade combines a beam and column system with beige-gray marble, small glazed wall tiles and clear glass. A metal installation on the lobby ceiling represents the flow of wind and links the building with nature.
The Golden A' Design Award recipient Urban Clouds Congregate Housing by Ya-Yuan Design and Shanghefa Development exemplifies contemporary residential architecture's capacity to negotiate between competing demands of density, livability, and civic presence while contributing meaningfully to evolving urban fabric. The design demonstrates sophisticated understanding of facade articulation as both functional necessity and expressive opportunity, employing a restrained material palette of concrete and glass organized through strong vertical elements that create visual cohesion across the tower's considerable height while breaking down perceived mass into humanly comprehensible increments. Technical accomplishment reveals itself through the careful integration of horizontal louvered screens that serve multiple purposes simultaneously: mediating solar gain, providing privacy gradients, and generating the distinctive warm glow visible in evening hours that transforms the building from daytime monument to nocturnal lantern. The crown pavilion merits particular attention as an urban gesture of considerable generosity, providing residents with elevated amenity space while offering the surrounding neighborhood a visually active terminus that engages sky rather than presenting blank mechanical penthouse. The photograph itself demonstrates sophisticated architectural documentation, selecting the transitional twilight moment when warm interior illumination achieves maximum visual impact against cooling ambient light, while the low vantage point through foreground vegetation suggests the pedestrian experience of encountering the building within its verdant context. The juxtaposition with the adjacent older structure, featuring arched windows and classical detailing, invites consideration of architectural continuity and change, suggesting how contemporary additions might engage respectfully with established urban character while asserting their own temporal identity. What might residents experience as they move between the intimate scale of individual units and the expansive communal spaces at the tower's summit?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The roof design of this project is a key feature, capturing the beauty of drifting clouds through a play of space and light. Using parametric methods, the cloud's three-dimensional form is transformed into a two-dimensional structure, creating varying visual effects throughout the day. The facade incorporates a complex beam and column system, achieving a refined modern architectural image. The first-floor lobby showcases an installation of metal units on the ceiling, visualizing the flow of wind, strengthening the connection with nature, and enhancing the urban experience with a serene atmosphere.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The site spans 1,078 square meters, with a 756-square-meter building rising 15 stories. The exterior design takes a grand yet understated approach, with two volumes positioned at the front and rear to reduce the mass and add layers, enhancing the building's approachability. The interior layout is thoughtfully crafted for smooth flow and modern living needs. Every detail complies with building regulations, achieving a perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics, creating a space that is both efficient and visually appealing.
- Tags
- Clouds, Breeze, Natural Elements, Green Space, Environmentally Friendly Building Materials, Humanistic Education.
- Production Technology
- In terms of material selection, the designers prioritized refinement, followed by brightness. The extensive use of beige-gray marble, with its delicate veining, exudes a warm and gentle quality reminiscent of cloud layers. Complementing this is the silver-glimmering small-scale glazed wall tiles, which add a touch of starlight-like sparkle. Visually, the clean and clear lines, paired with the transparent glass, establish a harmonious play of light and shadow, enhancing the building's contours and creating a bright, warm, and textured living environment.
- Design Challenge
- The project presented unique challenges, as it was the team's first exterior design. While typical residential issues like space efficiency and regulations were not a concern, the predetermined floor plan limited flexibility in exterior adjustments. To overcome this, the designers embraced nature as the theme, using Grasshopper to translate the forms of clouds and wind into their design. While digital tools offered creative potential, the true challenge was translating the design into reality, which proved to be more demanding than the conceptual process itself.
- Project Duration
- The project finished in December 2023 in Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- To bring a 'breeze' into the interior, the designers created an art installation in the lobby, evoking floating clouds and connecting the building with the city. This design allows people to feel the gentle breeze and witness the dynamic clouds, brightening the space and strengthening the connection to nature. At night, calibrated lighting enhances the building's charm, providing a cozy atmosphere while highlighting architectural features. This lighting ensures the building remains welcoming and elegant, standing out in its surroundings even after dark.
- Research
- 'URBAN CLOUDS' is a contemporary urban residence that blends natural elements with modern design, offering a lifestyle rather than just a living space. Positioned between the sky and green spaces, it provides residents with a harmonious living experience, combining nature's beauty with the city's cultural essence. The project features three interconnected sections: a lattice design on the top floor, a beam and column system on the midsection, and a breeze-inspired art installation in the lobby, all carefully integrated to enhance urban living and connect with nature.
- Inspiration
- 'Urban Clouds,' located in the administrative and cultural district, blends modern architecture with cultural heritage. Situated within a vibrant cultural center and surrounded by expansive green spaces, the project emphasizes a high quality of life and strong cultural characteristics. The designers incorporate modern architectural elements to redefine urban living, creating a visually prominent yet understated residential space. The goal is to craft a grand architectural image that seamlessly harmonizes with the surrounding environment, offering both elegance and functionality.
- Image Credits
- OS studio, Rex Chu
Colors of Urban Clouds Congregate Housing
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