Xiaopu Culture Center / DnA

Oct 2009

By Nico Saieh — Filed under: Cultural , Selected , China, Concrete, DNA

Architects：DnA
Location：Songzhuang town，Tongzhou distant，Beijing, China
Architect in Charge：Tiantian Xu
Program：Cultural Center
Client：Xiaopu village government
Project year：2006-2007
Site area：1,600 sqm
Building area：2,000 sqm
Photographs：Savoye/Ruogu Zhou

Located on an irregular former industrial lot in the well known art village Songzhuang, Xiaopu Cultural Center is a multi-functional complex including exhibition galleries, five residency artist studios, exhibition workshop, art shop, and administration.

program site plan

axo

The diverse programs are unified through a Tangram layout adapting to the site, while vertically distributed into dual-levels: the public program on the ground level as a compact volume with courtyards, and the private working area occupies the upper level with individual studios allowing a view traveling across the red-tiled roofscape of this typical northern Chinese village.

The Tangram layout creates an intersection of studios and double-height galleries. This visual connection allows the juxtaposition of art production and presentation.

The exterior corrugated metal are not only to fit into the tight budget but also to keep a touch of the former industrial context.

The transformation from industry into culture facility will become catalyst for bringing new possibilities for local community.

: program site plan

: floor plans

: section 01

: section 02

: section 03

: section 04

: section 05

: axo

: diagram

20 comments »

lulu says:

funny,like a kind of chinese toy,a seven-piece puzzle

# October 4, 2009 at 23:20

Ala says:

I don’t know who started the “scattered planning” strategy. The first one I saw is one of OMA projects(FONDATION PINAULT, FRANCE, PARIS, 2001). Then I started to see that in other’s work, such as BIG and a few others that I fail to recall, and now DnA. Does anyone know anything earlier than OMA’s?

# October 4, 2009 at 23:42

Thought I should clarify what I meant. I did not mean to say that others are stealing the idea of “scattered planning.” What I meant is the chaotic looking planning strategy is becoming a typology. And I am just wondering who first got that idea. It is like the “spiral ramp” libraries that are increasingly popular these days. But someone has started first before the idea becomes a typology.

# October 5, 2009 at 02:14

dave says:

Piranesi? His “Ichnographiam Campi Martii antiquae urbis”, aka Campo Marzio plans show an early idea of the “scattered planning” technique, as you put it: http://www.quondam.com/15/1443.htm

I think it is something that probably comes out of theories of urban design, such as Rowe’s “collage city”. You can also see it in earlier OMA projects such as the Almere masterplan.

# October 8, 2009 at 05:29

Thanks, Dave. Very informative.

# October 11, 2009 at 00:07

QFWFQ says:

徐甜甜的建筑很纯洁，也许和徐的女性身份有关，徐不关心宏大叙事，似乎脱离了社会现实，自娱自乐，在做着有关建筑的游戏。这有点类似文学中残雪的“纯文学”，建筑里有没有“纯建筑”一说我还不知道，如果有的话，那徐甜甜是最贴合的人选。

欢迎加入每日建筑讨论二群9946538。

# October 5, 2009 at 00:10

RT says:

设计的毫无逻辑，最后的一张diagram和设计的本体脱离关系，根本看不出建筑是从中演变出来的。如果她的建筑是“存建筑”的话，只能说你看得太少了。。。

# October 6, 2009 at 18:15

Frank says:

That is rude, dude. Haha. It should be deleted before everyone understands it. Very funny.

# October 5, 2009 at 01:00

archilocus says:

I won’t discuss the 45 degrees angles.. I like the first mystic picture, but did no one show those guys how ugly such glass facades become after 5 years ? Humidity starts to leave marks at connections to floor and where the ceiling goes behind the glass panels…

# October 5, 2009 at 01:30

arnold says:

is it Germany? Netherlands? Finland? Sweden? Denmark?.. NO! It’s China! :-)

# October 5, 2009 at 01:56

hbchbc says:

Oh yes, boy, you are gonna see more and more China. So get ready…. Don’t be surprise next time.

# October 5, 2009 at 11:49

gsapp guy says:

Don’t get it wrong hbchbc, apparently arnold was trying to imply that this building is totally without cultural identity. Actually the only thing that may implies the building’s location is the lack of tectonics.

# October 5, 2009 at 16:44

anshushang says:

formalistic approach without architectural intention. what we can expect and we actually get is strangeness that is not very astonishing nor inspiring. the lack of intention also explains the absence of tectonic.details don’t have to be story-telling if there is now story but arbitrary volumetric games. the mentality of this kind of design is architectural nihilism that shows the impotence of the architect to establish meaningful connections with the society. she chooses to retreat from the cultural frontier, indulges herself in making pretty architectual photograghs.

# October 5, 2009 at 21:15

I agree! The only thing i found interesting is the diagram; however, the architect didn’t derive either the bldg’s form or connections from the puzzle piece, rather just throw all the geometric blocks and made a mess.

# October 6, 2009 at 18:19

oscar falcón lara says:

Oh wow, this is very cool. The presentation materials are fantastic, and the concept well, it’s not without it’s down sides but I think it’s a winner. Great !

# October 5, 2009 at 23:15

Tuf-Pak says:

This Art Is Fresh!

# October 6, 2009 at 03:26

Gary says:

can anyone shed some light on me as to why is that window oriented towards the wall? might it be due to the $50,000 finishes on it? no, i do not think so.

# October 6, 2009 at 12:16

Alim Aminirad says: