The historic Liangzhu Village in Hangzhou, China has a new monumental cultural center by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Opened in 2016, the building has become another popular cultural site in the village following the opening of David Chipperfield’s Liangzhu Museum a decade ago.
Surrounded by a tranquil sakura landscape, the center hosts a theatre, a library and a gallery in three distinct “boxes” covered by a large roof. Architectural photographer Zheng Shi of AOG Architecture Vision has captured Ando’s characteristic use of concrete and striking natural light. In the stairwell, triangular cuts in the roof allow natural light to pour down onto the concrete surface. The interior also features a light-filled space with floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto the soothing natural scenery.
