Drawing inspiration from the nearby ocean waters, which are blue and calm in summer and icy in winter, the building's design attempts to encapsulate the natural marvel of water at its core. The scheme makes a strong external imprint with bold geometries, but carves out a conical shape inside, creating an amphitheatre. The empty central space can be reconfigured and exploited in many ways while the galleries above benefit from the open and illuminated interior space
Art centre in China. Spiritual activities and environment combine in a geometrical architecture
The project was conceived when the developer Aranya asked Neri&hu to design an art centre in a "seaside community", a place where strong spirituality emerges from a lifestyle in contact with the environment, hence the idea of creating open spaces and places for socialising
Within the thick volume of the building is a series of interconnected spaces that visitors can visit freely as they slowly ascend and enjoy a choreographed journey with direct views of both the interior and exterior. A spiral pathway leads through all the spaces, creating an atmosphere of expectation with each change of perspective. Starting at the bottom with the Café, passing through the Multi-purpose Gallery and an open-air Amphitheatre, the route guides visitors through five distinct galleries, culminating at the rooftop where they get a 360-degree view of the activities below
Composed primarily of various structured concrete pieces, the façade and materiality create a building that is heavy, like a solid rock sitting firmly in the changing landscape. The smooth surfaces reflect the changing skies, while the shaped modular units echo the pattern of shadows during the day. The bronze elements act as accents on the heavy façade to capture the light and draw attention to the entrance of each gallery
Gallery
neri&hu architects
322 Jiao Zhou Lu Jingan Qu, Shanghai Shi Cina 200071