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Houshan Contemporary Art Center

Verge Creative Design

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Building exterior view 2 - VCD lab
Inside the exhibition hall on the first floor - VCD lab
Aerial view of the site - VCD lab
Building exterior view 2 - VCD lab

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Cultural Space
6.41
7.05
6.87
5.53
6.47
Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Kennedy Principal, Interior Design Director at CLB Architects
I can see this being used for multi...
6.19
6.75
6.38
5.98
6.33
Andres Fredes
Andres Fredes Creative Director / Partner at ALLDSGN
5.59
6.3
5.68
6
5.89
Ava Watson
Ava Watson Multidisciplinary Designer at Ava Watson
7.02
7.1
5.68
6.1
6.48
Alessandro Isola
Alessandro Isola Founder at Alessandro Isola
6.1
7.74
6.1
5.52
6.37
Aviva Maya Shulem
Aviva Maya Shulem Founder / part-time faculty at AMS Design / Parsons School of Design
6.26
7.36
7.02
6.79
6.86
Client
Houshan Contemporary Art Center
Floor area
448 ㎡
Completion
2021

The project is located on a gentle slope to the northeast of Gaotang Shi Park in the suburbs of Guangzhou, facing north and south, and consists of a disused two-story brick and concrete park management building and a one-story building with an attached kitchen function. 

The building area is 448.5 square meters and the site area is 616.2 square meters. The main task of the design is how to stimulate the "dialogue" between the building and nature to the greatest extent while meeting the basic functions of the building.

The key to this design is to take the view, borrow the view, and cut the view; to make the outside nature concentrated in the inside frame, and also to make the small scenery peep out the big world. During the planning and construction of the project, the principle of minimizing environmental intervention and giving priority to green protection was adopted, and the sense of self-centeredness and existence of the building was consciously weakened in the construction. 

Every plant and tree is the starting point and focus of the space design. In principle, we try to compromise the tension and expression of the building without destroying any big trees around. The building develops from outside to inside, gaining form through changes in the site - growing in nature and blending with nature. In the inner space, by strengthening the communication and penetration between the inner and outer space, it makes people feel the integration of indoor and outdoor space. 

For example, the elevation uses different levels of openings to bring the sunlight, temperature and scenery from the outside of the building into the interior, so that people subconsciously blur the boundary between the interior and exterior spaces of the pavilion. Architecture can be the art of nature, or the nature of art...