Text description provided by the architects. Although located in the city center of Chengdu China, the site of the project had been an abandoned floor for a few years. The floor is comprised of 80% indoor space and 20% outdoor area, while the height of the indoor space is as low as 2.5m in general, no higher than 2.3m at certain locations, there was an extremely strong contrast between dark and bright on site.
The design breaks the sharp boundary between indoor and outdoor by introducing volumes onto the terrace, providing diverse perspectives and a variety of openings, transparency, and translucency to blur and merge the interior with the exterior.
In this way, the overall floor not only the confined photo studios are used for photography, and a multiplicity of scenarios can be adopted by the client. Different materials and geometries work together with light, shadow, and reflection to maximize the possibilities of the photo scenarios. As a result, the layout is a continuity of bodies which define space and circulation simultaneously, creating flow but also tension, providing users different feelings and ambiances of space.
The relation between inside and outside is sometimes direct while in others a mysterious passage towards outside or natural light, generating powerful and magical moments for photography. The outdoor terrace is designed more settled and harmonious in contrast with the surrounding cityscape.
The required photo studios are designed as an extension of the indoor area towards the outdoor terrace so that they could gain height superior to 3.2m in the meanwhile reconfigure the terrace and connect the interiors with skylights and unexpected views towards the terrace and landscape.
Furthermore, the program given by the client is very intricate and complex, which requires dividing the low ceiling height indoor space into small rooms and areas. In order to extend the visual depth of the suspended ceiling at the same time hiding all the equipment above, back lit metal mesh ceiling is used in interiors. Moreover the floor is designed to be reflective and in-between the ceiling and floor vertical elements are created which together with their reflections on the floor the notion of the height is increased.
