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Toshio Tsushima's Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery presents a masterful study in horizontal expansiveness and reflective duality, where architectural form engages in profound dialogue with its…

Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery by Toshio Tsushima is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Golden A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Competition Category.


GoldArchitecture· 2021

Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery

by Toshio Tsushima

Client: China Resources Land Limited

Golden A' Design Award Winner in Architecture Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery

Memories of Water is an exhibition gallery located on the shoreline in Qingdao, China. The building offers panoramic views of the ocean within an urban setting. A curtain wall system with steel fins is used on the first floor to minimize the structure. On the second floor, ultra-transparent glass is installed without fins or frames, so the boundary between indoor and outdoor space is reduced. A cantilever structure creates a floating effect. A water landscape surrounds the building and eases the transition from the city to nature. The gross built area is 1800 square meters.

The Recognition

About the Golden A' Design Award

Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery is a Golden A' Design Award winner, an immensely prestigious recognition granted to first-rate, marvelous, and outstanding designs. Golden winners are exceedingly innovative, visionary, and glamorously dazzling creations that reflect the prodigy, wisdom, and prowess of their designers. Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery is expected to be a highly praised, trendsetting, and monumental invention that delivers unprecedented value. This Golden A' Design Award-winning design is a spectacular, respected project that highly benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Memories of Water Exhibition Gallery creates intense feelings of desire, evokes passion, encourages creativity, and fascinates us.

Where to Get It

Contemporary Architecture Design Services

We create contextually responsive architecture that harmonizes nature with urban environments. Our Harvard-trained team specializes in sustainable design solutions for exhibition spaces, civic buildings, and cultural venues. With expertise in waterfront developments and panoramic architectural experiences, we transform visions into spaces that inspire.

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Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
With the prime location of the site, which situates by the shoreline in Qingdao, China, the design is to create a relationship between natural environment and the architectural space. With the advantage of the site location, the architecture provides a space for visitors to enjoy the dramatic and panoramic view of the ocean, meanwhile experience nature within the urban area.
Dimensions & Packaging
Gross build area: 1800 sqm
Tags
Architecture, Exhibition gallery, Civic
Production Technology
The building uses curtain wall system and steel fins on the first floor to minimize the structure as well as to offer panoramic view with minimal visual disruption. On the second floor, the ultra-transparent glass is installed without any fins or frames to show no boundary between indoor and outdoor space. Cantilever structure is used for a dramatic floating effect.
Design Challenge
The most difficult part of the design is to figure out how to create communication between people, nature, and the architectural space not only visually, but also aurally, tactilely, and through the other senses of body.
Research
Given the fact that the site is the last available waterfront site in Qingdao, the uniqueness of the site and the surrounding environment were taken into consideration. Wind flow and the minerals in the air (which contains quite amount of sodium) were also well researched as these conditions would affect the design of the building and the material choices.
Inspiration
The inspiration came from the beautiful ocean view in the urban city of Qingdao. The designers utilized the scene and water to create a dialogue between humans and the architectural space, and unites nature and architecture as one.
Project Duration
The project started in July 2019, and finished in May 2020 in Qingdao, China.
Operation Flow
Having water landscape, with the motion of waves and reflection, around the building allows a smooth transition between the outdoor and the indoor, as well as from the urban area to the nature.
Team Members
Toshio Tsushima
Xiaoru Hua
Dariusz Tadeusz Sosinka
Shangjie Jin
Image Credits
Image #1:Photographer Hui Zhang, 2020
Image #2:Photographer Hui Zhang, 2020
Image #3:Photographer Schranimage, 2021
Image #4:Photographer Schranimage, 2021
Image #5:Photographer Schranimage, 2021
Video Credits: Hui Zhang, 2020

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Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

The A' Design Award is an international, juried accolade for good design. Take part in the A' Design Award to get an opportunity to earn meritocratic recognition, gain fame, prestige and publicity for your work. Nominate your work for the A' Design Award and compete for the coveted A' Design Prize.

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