Lake Yangcheng Park of 42.5 hectares is the largest public green space on the lake shore of Kunshan. The linear building site lies between the main public parking lot and a curved boardwalk which leads people to the waterfront and other attractions.
A visitor center is the front door of a place. But a door presumes the existence of a wall. Considering the linear site, it is appropriate to make the building a “wall.” Indeed, people entering the parking lot see a curved “wall,” 99 meters long and 7.75 meters high. Three doorways on the “wall” open up passages into the park. The sceneries revealed via the openings appear particularly enticing.
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But this is not a simple solid wall. A layer of wood trellises parallel to an inner concrete wall makes the “wall” appear light and ever-changing. At the west end, the trellis layer deviates from the concrete wall and forms a unique gesture, nodding to the nearby lake shore.
The big surprise comes when people enter the doorways. Looking east and west, they will find that few solid crossing partitions exist inside the “wall” between its two concrete shells. Various spaces—bright and dim, indoor and outdoor, high and low, orthogonal and diagonal—are juxtaposed along the longitudinal direction of the cavity.
Most rooms in the building can spill their activities into one or more adjacent outdoor spaces. The pairing of indoor and outdoor spaces is one of the fundamental characteristics of Chinese traditional architecture.
Location Lake Yangcheng Park, Huanhu Road, Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China
Project Period 2009-2012
Floor Area 844 square meters
Client Kunshan City Construction, Investment and Development Co., Ltd.
Designer Architecture: Miao Design Studio (Design Architect), Pu Miao; Hanjia Design Group, Shanghai (Architect of Record), Jiang Ningqing Structure: Shanghai Yuangui Structural Design Inc., Zhang Yewei, Liu Xiao Engineering: Hanjia Design Group, Mu Lixin, Yu Yang, Wu Qiuyan
Publication
New Architecture (4/2014), Architectural Review Asia Pacific (Jun.Jul./2015), FuturARC (Jan.-Feb./2016), archdaily.com. 总平面
Shop along the north side and the ramp. No crossing partition hinders the longitudinal view of the distant greenery beyond the east end of the building.
(下左)坡道下的下沉庭院。
(下右)坡道。
(Below right) The ramp.
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(Below left) The sunken court under the ramp.
Varied interior space and the greenery beyond the east end of the building, as seen from the east doorway looking east.
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Interior of the church; second floor contains lodging rooms, with space under for communal dining.
The “gate” leading toward the exterior cross and the diagonal wall separating the worship space from the foyer.
建筑临湿地立面(东立面)中段。
The middle part of the wetland-side elevation (east elevation).
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downhill steps at the southwest corner of the building.
建筑东北外观。
Northeast view of the building.
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The main entrance at the south end of the building.
(下左)种植坛好像穿入建筑东面。
( Below left) A planter seems to penetrate the east elevation of the building.
The north side of the project faces Xianhou Street, containing two entrances to the park. The edges of the park along the street are made into stepped planters. People can sit on the low walls near the sidewalk.
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工程西面与里厍路相邻,含两个公园入口。西北角
The west side of the project is next to Lishe Road, including two park entrances. Parents picking up their elementary-school kids can sit on the low walls at the northwest corner of the park.
工程南面面向小区内部。居委会、社区活动室及自 行车库的入口罗列在建筑右部。
South side of the project faces the interior of the estate. The doors to the residents committee, community room, and bicycle parking are at the right part of the building.
From the grand stair looking toward the west part of the north elevation. Behind the concrete wall are the second-floor plaza and the pool. Nested inside the first floor are wood-sided public bathrooms.
建筑西北面外观,水边是游艇码头。
Northwest view of the building; along the waterfront are boat piers.