Yellow River Hotel / Sunlay Design

Courtesy of Sunlay Design

Yellow River Hotel of , by Sunlay Design is a symbol of the unique environment within which it is located. Situated between an endless desert and a lush river the architects used this contradiction to develop a distinct geometric form that is an icon of a rock emerging from the sand and weathered by the elements. The building mass is both above and below ground and posed many challenges in dealing with the relationship between the architecture and the environment.

More after the break.

New Ideas for Ordos 100 / Ordos 20+10 / Plasma Studio

© Plasma Studio

Previously, we have covered the Ordos 100 project quite extensively, giving you an inside look at the Inner development.  Back when Cai Jiang proposed the initiative to build one hundred 1000sqm villas designed by 100 up-and-coming architects in a mere 100 days, most questioned if the project was a hoax while others felt the development’s free-for-all attitude would not yield a unifying strong result.   Yet, even with these concerns, the 100 firms responded to  Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Wei Wei’s invitation to design the villas and transform a barren land.   However, this development took quite an unexpected twist.

Read more about the project after the break.

Dove of Peace / Sunlay Design

Beijing Sunlay Design Office designed a Protestant Church in Inner Mongolia that takes its inspiration from the land’s topography.  Set on top of a hill of , the scheme, entitled “” gives its metaphor and poetry to the church by re-interpreting a contemporary and abstract silhouette of the bird carrying an olive branch.  Made of concrete and with the facades finished in white crepi,  the church’s form follows the adjacent curved road that crosses the site. “The dialogue between the outside and the inside space is emphasized by the play of shadows and light that creates complexity and depth in the reading of the space.”  Delicate streams of light reflect harmony and tranquility, providing the perfect atmosphere for prayer and contemplation.

More images after the break.

Erdos Museum / MAD

Architects: MAD
Location: Erdos, Inner
Director in Charge: Ma Yansong, Yosuke Hayano, Dang Qun
Design team: Shang Li, Andrew C. Bryant, Howard Jiho Kim, Matthias Helmreich , Zheng Tao, Qin Lichao, Yang Lin, Sun Jieming Yin Zhao , Du Zhijian
Collaborators: Institute of Building Standard Design and Research, The Institute of Shanxi Architectural Design and Research
Site Area: 27,760 sqm
Constructed Area: 41,227 sqm
Status: Under Construction
Client: Erdos Municipal Government
Images: MAD