Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso by Shimu Wang

Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso by Shimu Wang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Hierro in Diseño de Arquitectura, Edificación y Estructuras Competition Category.

HierroArquitectura· 2026

Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso

by Shimu Wang

A' Design Award de Hierro Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso

Thriving es la renovación de la fachada de dos edificios docentes y un nuevo acceso escolar en Taiyuan, China. Paneles de aluminio acabados con pintura de colores vivos aportan ritmo a los alzados y ocultan los equipos e instalaciones exteriores, así como el cableado. El portón se eleva 14,7 metros de altura y conecta los dos edificios de alturas distintas, enmarcando la vista del edificio principal del campus. Paneles de acero inoxidable espejado revisten la estructura principal de acero, mientras que unas esbeltas columnas de tubo de acero inoxidable con pintura plateada reducen la masa visual. El intradós especular hace que el portón parezca más alto y evoca la idea de crecimiento.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Hierro

Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso ha ganado el A' Design Award de Hierro, un reconocimiento prestigioso concedido a buenos diseños que cumplen los requisitos profesionales e industriales que se esperan de creaciones bien diseñadas. Los ganadores de Hierro demuestran gran habilidad, alta especialización, comprensión experta y capacidad creativa de sus creadores. Se espera que Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso sea una creación muy apreciada, admirada y querida, práctica e innovadora. Este diseño ganador del A' Design Award de Hierro integra las mejores prácticas del sector y tiene características técnicas competentes unidas a conocimiento práctico y talento. Thriving Renovación de fachada, portón de acceso es respetado por su minuciosidad y está concebido para aportar mejoras en la calidad de vida que ayudan a hacer del mundo un lugar mejor.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Aluminum panels finished with bright-colored paint are used for facade detailing, which enhance the rhythm of the elevation and conceal the messy equipment and cables at the same time. Besides, the gate organically connects the two buildings of different heights. This gate also becomes a view frame for the main campus building. Design adopts the imagery of 'growth', conveying the wish that students will take root and thrive in their future careers , just like seeds reaching for the sky.
Dimensions & Packaging: Renovated Facade Area: 9581 square meters.
The New Gate: Width 22m x Depth 9.8m x Height 14.7m.
Tags: Modest renovation, Coherence, Rhythm, Vibrant colors, Lightness, Airy, Futuristic aesthetic
Production Technology: Standing at 14.7 meters high, the gate was required to be majestic yet airy. To ensure the gate is visually lightweight, mirror stainless steel panels are chose to clad the main steel structure. The decorative, slender columns surrounding the main steel structure are made of stainless steel pipes finished with silver fluorocarbon paint, further dissolving the visual mass of structure. The mirrored soffit makes the gate appear taller when viewed from below, enhancing the dynamic sense of growth.
Design Challenge: One of the key challenges in the design process was sorting out and rearranging the layout of outdoor equipment. The design had to comprehensively consider the locations of equipment-connected interior rooms, the dimensions of different equipment, drainage routes, and cable positions, lending the building a rhythmic, orderly, and harmonious facade.
Research: This renovation was required to be restrained and frugal. We spent a huge amount of effort to organically unify the individual buildings and use harmonious with variations design language to create visual consistency.
Inspiration: This project contains a facade renovation of two teaching buildings over twenty years old and a construction of a new gate. The buildings front the street and the gate stands between them. The client expected to transform their outdated appearance into vibrant, neat and energetic style. The new school gate should be majestic and futuristic. To meet these requirements, the design revolves around bright colors and a lightweight, airy visual effect.
Project Duration: Design Period: April to June, 2025
Finished time: October 2025
Location: Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
Operation Flow: The automatic doors are installed between the main structural columns and the decorative columns. When opened, they are well concealed within the forest of columns, and when closed, they match the decorative columns well in color. Landscaping at the foot of the slender columns, adds a touch of vitality to the otherwise slightly cold structure. As pedestrians and vehicles traverse the gateway, the experience evokes the sensation of passing through a miniature forest.
Image Credits: Image #1, #2, #3, #4, #5: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Thriving, 2025.