Yantai Experience Sales Centre and Exhibition

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Yantai is a coastal city defined by its hilly topography, its incredible fresh sea food and its winter snow.
MDO were commissioned to create a landmark at the corner of the central axis of a new development area, south of the Tashan Scenic Area.
The surrounding building fabric is typified by tall blocks of office and residences. MDO imagined the new building as a contrast to the homogeneity of the new development, through form, materiality and relationship with the landscape.

Dimensions & Packaging

Area：1800 Square Meters

Tags

Exhibition, Architecture, Interior, Sales Center, Modern, Simple, Natural, Art

Production Technology

From the exterior, the building appears as a series of fluted drums wrapped in a glass skirt. The drums vary in height depending on the internal function. They are finished with silver aluminum panels which gently reflect the sky and surrounding landscape.

The glass skirt employs six meters tall frameless panels which allow light and views into the interior. Even though the plan appears to be freeform, the facade was rationalized to use a single size and radius of curved glass with glass fins structure.

Design Challenge

When first approached by the client, their intention was to create a temporary sales centre to host the negotiation activities for the development. MDO proposed a demountable and reusable option, in order to avoid producing a big amount of waste, that was rejected.

While designing the project, MDO had clear in mind the focus to convince the local government that a sales centre could be much more than just a commercial building. MDO defended how the building could play an important role in the neighborhood as catalyst of social interaction and inclusion.

MDO included in the design important gathering and flexible areas, currently in use by the local community for different kinds of collective functions.

After presenting officially the project during the final stages, the local government finally took the decision to keep the architecture as a permanent establishment. When the development of the area will be over, all the sales functions will be dismissed and the government would make use of the architecture uniquely as cultural and art centre for the emerging community.

Project Duration

The project started in July 2019 and finished in March 2021.

Operation Flow

The central space is sunk down 1.2m to define the transition to the lounge area and to enhance the ceiling height. The step creates a column lined circular gallery, from which each external space is accessible and which encourages visual links between the different functions across the main space.

In the most open part of the snow-crystal, MDO created a stepped amphitheater.

The space is created for circular meetings, group activities and for children to play; a multifunctional space that can be adapted to different purposes. It keeps the circular shape as an emblem of gathering and openness.

It addresses the neighborhood through its fully transparent envelope, inviting the local community to join and gather.

Research

Around the main central lounge and discussion area, all the other functions are placed equally accessible from the centre, encouraging more lines of communication and rendering a overall feeling of openness and link with the surroundings.

The architecture becomes unity of positive and negative spaces. Like a snow-crystal structure that can be read as a pattern in its presence or absence of matter.

The landscape areas, entering the sides of the building, become part of the whole rhythmical dialogue of the exhibition spaces, bringing light to the interior space.

From the exterior, the building appears as a series of fluted drums wrapped in a glass skirt. The drums vary in height depending on the internal function. They are finished with silver aluminum panels which gently reflect the sky and surrounding landscape.

The interior functions have been conceived as a collection. As each peripheral volume is a defined space, so environments are free to change and create a series of unique experiences.

Inspiration

The typical exhibition centre is designed as a loop or a one way path. Often a courtyard or site model is placed at the centre as a focus, circulation is linear, lacking interconnection between distant spaces.
MDO decided to challenge this norm by creating a public area at its centre, a place for discussion and interaction. MDO wanted to design the space to be more human centric and welcoming.
The other functions are arranged as peripheral crystal ramifications, connected to the central heart.

Image Credits

All materials on the site belong to More Design Office Co.,Ltd

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