Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區 by United Units Architects

Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區 by United Units Architects is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award 金獎 in 建築、樓宇及結構設計 Competition Category.

金建築· 2023

Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區

by United Units Architects

Client: United Units Architects

A' Design Award 金獎 Winner in 建築 Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #145181

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Colors

The Design

About Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區

大連37巷由廢棄工廠改建而成，位於半山腰，面對城北港口。設計靈感來自大連標誌性的山脈和毗鄰海洋的地理特徵，創造出與城市精神相呼應的新建築形象，透過燈光幹預建立新舊對比。設計目標是將這座老工廠改造為城市的區域地標，容納多種業態，最終使其成為一個開放、充滿活力的城市節點。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 金獎

Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區是 A' Design Award 金獎得主，這是授予一流、絕妙而傑出設計的極為崇高的認可。金獎得主是極具創新、極富遠見且璀璨奪目的創作，反映出其設計師的天才、智慧與才幹。預計Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區將成為一項備受讚譽、引領潮流、氣勢恢宏的發明，帶來前所未有的價值。這件贏得 A' Design Award 金獎的設計是一個壯觀而受人敬重的項目，極大地造福並拓展藝術、科學、設計和技術的界限。Dalian 37 Xiang 文化創意園區激起強烈的渴望，喚起激情，鼓勵創造力，令我們著迷。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Transformed from an abandoned factory, Dalian 37 Xiang is located halfway up the mountain side with a main aspect towards the harbor in the north of the city. The design is inspired by the geographical features of Dalian's iconic mountains and adjacent seas, creating a new architectural image that echoes the spirit of the city, establishing a contrast between the old and the new through delicate and light interventions. The design objective was to renew this old factory into a regional landmark of the city, accommodate multiple business types, and finally make it an open and dynamic city node.
Dimensions & Packaging: Site Area: 4,000 m2
Gross Floor Area: 5,300 m2
Tags: Renovation, Urban Renewal, Urban Regeneration, Industrial Heritage, Mountains and Seas, Beacon, Mixed Uses, Roof Garden
Production Technology: The first step of the renovation strategy is to establish a new facade grid. The horizontal lines of the facade grid are formed according to the building levels of the floors, roof and parapet. At the same time, the vertical lines of the facade grid are spaced 1.2 meters apart, which not only conforms to the specifications of conventional building materials, but also forms a multiple relationship with the building's structural grid. Based on this facade grid, we established a new facade system superimposed on the old structural order.
Design Challenge: The main building of the site was originally a cuboid industrial factory building with a regular 6m x 9m structural grid, presenting a typical uninspiring example of an industrial building, an impression that is essentially contradictory to the vitality of the cultural and creative industry. So how to create a continuity before and after the renovation, whilst at the same time liberating the building from the original monotonous form to achieve a more free and romantic form, is a key point of our thinking.
Research: Located in the core area of the old city area of Dalian, the site is backed by Martyrs Mountain, facing Dalian Bay to the north, adjacent to the Dalian Government. Scattered around the site is an equally decades-old neighborhood, so over time the factory has become part of the collective memory of the local residents. Therefore, the new architectural image should not only resonate emotionally with the surrounding residents, but also become a regional landmark facing the future, activating the old community in the way of acupuncture.
Inspiration: The emergence of the architectural image comes from the exploration of Dalian's city spirit. Combining the unique geographical resources of mountains, hills, peninsulas, oceans, together with the urban fabric have created the impression of Dalian as a city of mountains and seas. The first inspiration for the architectural design comes from the geographical features of the city. The design language is abstracted from the form of waves and sails, establishing a spiritual connection between the building and people by endowing the building with a new visual imagination.
Project Duration: The project started in December 2020 and finished in September 2022 in Dalian, China.
Operation Flow: Mixed business types are an important prerequisite for ensuring the vitality of the park, with each business type being suitable for a specific target customer group. Through the rational allocation and sharing of resources, different business types can guide customers to each other, creating a synergistic effect. Dalian 37 Xiang is comprised of rental offices, radio museum, coffee shop, bookshop, communal space, tea shop, fashion shop, art education, restaurant, etc., emphasizing the theme of "fusion space".
Team Members: Yongzheng Li
Qizhi Li
Liang Deng
Wenbo He
Teng Jiang
Xinghua Ma
Hongbo Fang
Yanfeng Lyu
Huanyu Chen
Jiaxin Zhang
Yuxin Jin
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Night, 2022.
Image #2: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Day, 2022.
Image #3: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Terrace, 2022.
Image #4: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Sails, 2022.
Image #5: Photographer Weiqi Jin, Details, 2022.
Video Credits: Shiming Xiao + Weiqi Jin, 2022.