Nearly to be completed and opened in 2023, MAD Architects reveals the construction details that made it possible for the Aranya "Cloud Center" to appear floating above the rolling landscape surrounding it. Located in Qinhuangdao, 160 miles away from the east of Beijing, China, the 2,500-square meters Center will be a public art space for the vibrant artistic seaside community that, from the outside, will mark the center of a sculptural landscape that MAD had conceptualized as a "white stone garden."
Inspired by clouds' shape and lightweight appearance, the engineers, set several structural overhangs embedded within the envelope as an internal space frame. The primary and secondary trusses suspended are welded to the core steel structure, the largest of which is nearly 30 meters long. As a result, the gallery is almost entirely column-free to allow various functions to occur while concealing its means of structural support. The "floating" effect is further accomplished by using floor-to-ceiling glass on the ground floor beneath it, where the grand hall occupies most of the building's footprint.
The main volume cladding is a curtain wall of white laminated glass panels that have been tempered and laser-printed to reflect the sunlight, sky, and the evergreen landscape surrounding it. The structured curtain wall system and the complex curvilinear geometry produce a smooth finish with a limited amount of double-curved glass embedded within the envelope under the anticipated construction cost. To protect the curtain wall from sea wind erosion, the engineering team developed a robust waterproof and thermal insulation layer below the clad. Several gaps between the façade panels collect water as drainage to prevent water from stagnating on the building's envelope.
The Cloud Center is designated to have a singular architecture becoming the component of a larger context and a landmark of Qinhuangdao, a city with a population of over three million. The Cloud will be a tranquil oasis that contrasts the busy city life beyond its perimeter. When visitors walk from the windy road to the main entrance of the Cloud Center, they will meet with a large pond that reflects the underbelly of the white structure, a garden, and surrounding woods. The entirety forms a peaceful dreamscape envisioned by Ma Yansong, architect and founder of MAD architects.
MAD Architects are also developing The Sanxingdui Ancient Shu Cultural Heritage Museum and The Mobility and Logistic hub (MoLo), a new gateway along the western boundary of the Milano Innovation District (MIND). This is the latest of many projects MAD has designed in Europe, including the Proposal for the 2024 Paris Olympics' Aquatic Center and "Invisible Border" and the installation for the 2016 Salone del Mobile in Milan.
