Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie

Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2018 Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum in Architectura Competition Category.

ArgentumArchitectura· 2018

Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum

by West-line Studio - Haobo Wei and Jingsong Xie

Client: West-line Studio

Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum Winner in Architectura Category

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The Design

About Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum

Sita in Sinis in provincia australi Guizhou, centrum culturarum Shui comitatus Sandu porta est, terra Shui minoritatis ethnicae. Finis studii occidentis cum hac aedificatione erat elementa ritualia Shui et atmosphaeram in spatium publicum convertendi. Tenuis pellis aenea contrariam facit cum structurae concretae gravi, solis praevaricationem ad effectum activitatis semel intus creatum. Postquam visitatores aquam apertam transeunt, Centrum Culturale successionem trium spatiorum exhibet, valde insignita tectorum fixarum, quae pictogram montem Shui evocant.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum

Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum victor est Praemii A' Design Award Argenteum, honoris eximie amplissimi formis summi generis, pulchris et conspicuis dati. Victores Argenti opera valde splendida et creandi ingenio praedita sunt, quae praestantem peritiam, talentum et acumen auctorum suorum ostendunt. Exspectatur Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum opus mirabile, exemplare, valde professionale et penitus novum fore. Haec forma Argento victa inventum notabile et admiratum est, quod ad fines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae promovendos confert. Shui Cultural Center Culturae Centrum creatio est, quam multi invident, quae cupiditates excitat, sensus bonos affert et admirationem miraculumque movet.

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