Spanish studio Rafael de La-Hoz and Chinese design institute Architectural Design and Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology (ADRI-HIT) have been announced as the winners of a competition to construct a new cultural centre in Meishan, China. Located in Sichuan province in the nation's south, the complex will combine a sports centre with five museums, a library, and exhibition hall.
Occupying a sprawling 260,000-square-meters, the new complex is sited near the campus of the University of Meishan, and responds to the terraced topography of Sichuan's rice paddies. Learn more about the project and view selected images after the break.
Rafael de La-Hoz's design draws inspiration from cultural landmarks of the Song dynasty, evoking the materiality and spatial planning of buildings from this time. Now a flourishing university town, Meishan was, during this period, the seat of the state's government, and known as the "Town of the Learned People." The master plan is derived from traditional drawings depicting bamboo structures, and also references the poetry of Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo.
Sinuous roof canopies and lofty ceiling heights are redolent of the curvatures of traditional Chinese architecture, and in conjunction with a restrained natural palette bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary Chinese architecture.
Buildings in the complex are connected by landscaping and a central body of water, with ample pedestrian routes allowing connectivity.
Award
First PrizeArchitects
Rafael De La-Hoz, ADRI-HITLocation
Meishan, Sichuan, ChinaArea
260000.0 sqmProject Year
2015Photographs
Courtesy of Rafael de La-Hoz Arquitectos
