Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie

Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2018 A' Design Award d'Argent in Design d'Architecture, Bâtiment et Structure Competition Category.

ArgentArchitecture· 2018

Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel

by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie

Client: West-line Studio

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Architecture Category

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The Design

About Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel

Situé en Chine dans la province méridionale du Guizhou, le centre culturel Shui est une porte d'entrée vers le comté de Sandu, terre de la minorité ethnique Shui. L'objectif du studio West-line avec ce bâtiment était de transformer les éléments rituels et l'atmosphère du Shui en un espace public. Une fine peau de bronze crée un contraste avec la lourde structure en béton, brisant la lumière du soleil pour créer un effet dramatique une fois à l'intérieur. Après le passage des visiteurs sur la place d'eau libre, le Centre Culturel présente une succession de trois espaces, fortement caractérisés par des toits en pente, qui évoquent le pictogramme montagnard des Shui.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel est lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent, une reconnaissance énormément prestigieuse décernée à des designs haut de gamme, superbes et impressionnants. Les lauréats Argent sont des œuvres tout à fait brillantes et extrêmement créatives qui illustrent l'expertise, le talent et la perspicacité remarquables de leurs concepteurs. Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel est censé être une œuvre merveilleuse, une vitrine de savoir-faire, remarquablement professionnelle et profondément innovante. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent est une invention très notable et admirée, qui sert l'art, la science, le design et la technologie et en repousse les limites. Shui Cultural Center Centre Culturel est une création très enviée qui éveille les désirs, apporte des sentiments positifs et suscite émerveillement et étonnement.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Located in the Southern Guizhou Province, Shui Cultural Center is a gateway to Sandu County, the land of the Shui. It includes three main stripes, combining all the functions of the tourist-cultural center. With its iconic and distinct shape, it stands as an homage to the local culture and traditional architecture. The Shui culture is evoked using particular materials and shapes and recreating a ritual space, able to lead visitors into Shui’s ancestral world.
Dimensions & Packaging: Area surface: 13,808.04 sqm
Building surface: 4,223.59 sqm
Building max height: 23 m
Tower height: 30 m
Tags: China, Guizhou Province, West-line studio, Cultural Center, Shui Minority, Concrete Architecture, Chinese Architecture, Pitched Roof, Concrete, Bronze
Production Technology: 1. Fair-faced Concrete: strongly marked by a wooden pattern, given by the pine quarterdecks
2. Copper Steel Plates: twelve industrial processes recreate the peculiar texture of the bronze used in Shui minority’s ancient rituals
3. Colorful Transparent Glass: Shui Characters, mainly used during ceremonies and sacrifices, are printed on colored glasses, filtering the light and evoking a ritual atmosphere
Design Challenge: The main challenge has been to turn those typical and ritual elements of Shui minority’s culture, together with the whole scenario they used to create during Bronze Age traditional rites, into a contemporary public space.
Research: The project focuses and researches on these main aspects:
1. Regional Connection: local peak-cluster landform
2. Public Life: contemporary public life model of Shui minority group in China
3. Ritual Atmosphere: bronze drums and altars used in Shui’s sacrifices
4. Lighting Atmosphere: filter Shui’s unique pictograms
5. Construction: handcrafted + industrial materials
Inspiration: The Cultural Center is inspired by Shui minority sacrificial rites, where bronze drums and altars are regarded as symbols of power. The architecture also evokes Shui unique pictograms. From the outside, with its water square, it stands as an open memorial place. While inside visitors are immerged into an introverted ritual atmosphere.
Project Duration: Design: June 2016 - October 2016
Location: Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
Construction: October 2016 - November 2017
Location: Sandu County, Guizhou Province, China
Operation Flow: The building guides visitors step by step into Shui’s ritual world. Starting from the open water memorial square, behind which the building shines with its bronze perforated skin which remembers sacrificial altars. To the interiors strongly characterized by the sharp pitched roof, which aims to recreate an intimate dramatic atmosphere.
Patents: Copyrights belong to West-line Studio, 2017.
Team Members: - Design: Haobo Wei, Jingsong Xie
- Architecture and Landscape: Yudan Luo
- Site Construction Control: Haobo Wei, Minghua Ou
- Interior Design: Martina Muratori
- Structure: Yuanping Li, Xiaoqiang Yang
- Equipment: Hongbo Shi
- Research: Lanyu Xu, Danjing Zhong, Zhili Yin, Jing Shi, Yulan Xu
- Graphic: Martina Muratori, Jinda Zheng
Image Credits: Photo: Jingsong Xie, Jinda Zheng