BAILONGHEWEI COMMUNITY CENTER N.2

Once completed, Bailonghewei District is set to become the core of the western ecological new city, promoting the development of western Zhuhai. Due to its position at the crossroad with major infrastructure system stemming from the presence of Zhuhai International Airport only few kilometers South, the district will become one of the most important transportation hubs in the region.

Due to the surrounding land use, the building will be exposed to a more private residential context to the West and a more public commercial environment to the North and East. Here, at the crossroad between Xingyun Yi Lu and Sanqian Jie, the road opens up the view towards a green waterfront and the ocean. Located at the northern edge of the CBD area, the Neighborhood Center’s plot becomes integral part of the interlinked network of green areas leading to the waterfront park to the East.

Our goal is to create a mixed-use center that can become a destination for both local residents and visitors. Our strategy is to offer a platform for social interactions that integrates green public space and sport activities, becoming the heart of the community. By extending the outdoor space over the podium’s rooftop, we give back to the community the space lost at the ground floor and create a shaded and ventilated panoramic terrace where visitors can enjoy the views towards the sea.

As an integral part of a well developed public green network, we chose to design a neighborhood center that, despite its limited ground floor area, could offer to the local community a quality public space experience.

Exclusive views of the ocean are usually reserved to hotels or luxurious real estate developments and rarely people can enjoy such experience from a public building. Taking advantage of the extraordinary location of our site, we wanted to reverse this trend and give to the general public free access to stunning views over the ocean from the top of a civic building.

A permeable ground floor is open towards its surroundings easing the main pedestrian flows through the site and its public sports areas. The public space is furthermore extended on top of the building via an access to the rooftop along the most prominent front to the East. This access is a constructed landscape ‘ramp’ that comprises a sloped running track and steps in the green meant to incite curiosity in the passers-by inviting them to reach the upper floors. Once reached the main rooftop platform, the views to the ocean will be immediately visible.

The ever-changing waves coming ashore in a constant parallel motion inspired the strong horizontality of the architecture and its facade pattern. Inspired by ocean culture, we use 4 shades of blue colors from deep to light to create a gradient blue facade, bringing the ocean theme into our building. The facade modular horizontal panels form an abstract wave pattern which not only emphasizes the dynamic cultural theme, but also helps to soften the building volume mass.

The architecture facade is purposely linear and minimalist to enhance the sculptural dynamism of the volumes. The materials choice is limited but the finishing qualities and color vary in every stacked volume according to the function.