Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni by Zehua Zhang

Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Majengo, Ujenzi na Miundo Competition Category.

ShabaUsanifu wa Majengo· 2026

Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award Winner in Usanifu wa Majengo Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni

Maandishi ya Kitabu: Time Catalyst ni pendekezo linalobadilisha kiwanda cha zamani cha kutengeneza mvinyo huko Valencia ili kitumike kwa matumizi ya kitamaduni ya umma. Muundo huu unahifadhi muundo uliopo na ukuta wa matofali huku ukiingiza milango na madirisha ya ziada ili kuboresha mwanga, ufikiaji, na uunganisho kati ya sehemu za ndani na za nje. Kwa kuondoa baadhi ya sehemu za paa, mbunifu anaunda ua wa ndani unaoleta mwanga wa mchana na mandhari ndani ya jengo. Sehemu ya ndani inahudumia studio, maonyesho, na shughuli za kijamii, ikilinganisha uhifadhi na uingiliaji uliochaguliwa ili kuruhusu jengo kuendelea kutumika.

The Recognition

About the Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award

Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima kubwa unaotolewa kwa miundo bora inayotofautishwa kwa ubunifu, ustadi na busara. Washindi wa Shaba ni kazi za ufundi mwingi na bunifu ya kushangaza zinazothibitisha uzoefu mpana, mawazo na ustadi wa wabunifu wao. Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni inatarajiwa kuwa kitu kinachothaminiwa sana, kupendwa na kuenziwa, ambacho ni cha kitaalamu na bunifu kwa kiasi kikubwa. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award unajumuisha mbinu bora katika sanaa, sayansi, usanifu na teknolojia, na ni bora kwa umakini wake kwa undani. Time Catalyst Kazi Kuu: Kituo cha Utamaduni hutosheleza mahitaji kwa uzuri, hugusa hamu, huvutia hisia na kuvutia udadisi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Time Catalyst transforms a historic Valencia winery into a vibrant cultural center where memory and vitality coexist. Honoring its structural framework, the exterior preserves the original brick texture, while rhythmic openings at the base blur inside and outside. Interior volumes with curved facades echo the exterior, fostering fluidity and continuity, and the site embodies both the heritage and the spirit of the Fallas festival in Valencia, bridging past and future.
Dimensions & Packaging: Two-story building with overall dimensions of 75 meters in width, 75 meters in depth, and 23 meters in height.
Tags: Historic preservation, adaptive reuse, brick facade, structural framework, spatial fluidity, interior-exterior continuity, cultural center, curved volumes, communal space
Production Technology: This design balances cultural heritage with contemporary interventions. The original brick facade was restored to preserve its texture, while curved glass panels echo its language. Inside, UHPC ultra thin concrete slabs and steel I beams combine lightness with structural stability. Computer-aided simulations and 3D modeling optimized spatial relationships, integrating old and new elements to create a dynamic, vibrant experience.
Design Challenge: The original materials and structure of the historic building were preserved, while selective demolition was carried out. Structural analysis was performed, and the feasibility and adaptability of introducing new building structures and materials were comprehensively evaluated.
Research: Type of Research: Design-based architectural research on adaptive reuse. Research Objectives: To convert a historic winery into a cultural center while preserving heritage and enhancing social use. Methodology: Analysis of history, structure, and environment, tested through simulations and models. Data Collection and Research Tools Used: Archives, drawings, site photos, 3D modeling, daylight and airflow simulations, and material studies. Results: Informed spatial layouts, openings, and materials. Insights and Impacts: Demonstrated how historic buildings can support contemporary cultural life. Effect in Real Life: Promotes heritage preservation, community interaction, and sustainable design.
Inspiration: Time Catalyst is inspired by the dialogue between history and contemporary life. The old winery’s brick walls carry memory, and I aimed to preserve this while introducing new vitality. Valencia’s Fallas festival, with its communal energy and fluidity, inspired the building’s openness and curved interior volumes, blurring inside and outside. The design celebrates cultural heritage while activating the space for modern social and creative life.
Project Duration: The project started in June 2025 and was completed in October 2025
Operation Flow: This is a renovation and adaptive reuse project for an old winery, preserving its historical character while introducing new vitality, transforming it into a cultural center that provides a space for local residents and artists to connect and express their creativity. The main spaces include creative studios, artist workshops, a performance hall, classrooms, exhibition areas, and a public courtyard.