Project Overview

This project is located near Huangsipu Ecological Park, the largest ecological park known as the “green lung” of Zhangjiagang City, which enjoys beautiful mountain and river landscapes. In the future, this area will become a riverside sightseeing belt with multiple functions such as transportation, ecology, culture, entertainment and leisure.
The design of this project draws on the form and essence of "hills", and connects the "ecological", "thematic" and "topical" features of the space to realize the symbiosis and harmony between life and the city.

Through the interpretation of natural symbols, the design amplifies the scenes of nature, and promotes the sequential reorganization of water, air, sunlight, wood, leaves and other elements in the space, thereby presenting a composite scene of future ecological urban life and creating a relaxing, natural experiential environment.

Organisation

Zhangjiagang Rongmei Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.

Project Brief

The project adopts the design philosophy of “sustainability”, to build a connection between the space and lifestyle.

The design draws on the form and essence of "hills", and connects the "ecological", "thematic" and "topical" features of the space to realize the symbiosis and harmony between life and the city.

The spatial form like hills is the first impression after people enter the space. The convergence and intersection of circles and arcs form an exploratory world inside the space outlined by large surfaces.

The art installation takes design cues from blossoming flowers, adding a natural and playful touch to the space. Meanwhile, it resembles musical notes at a closer look. The area centered a tree provides green scenery and a space to relax. In this open space, natural elements blend with each other.

The long couches are in the shape of continuous hills. The sofas and cushions retain the cut surface, forming an enclosed place and layers of "undulating hills", which is unique and fun. The various animal and plant elements create a "natural ecological research institute" and continue the ecological genes of the city.

Climbing up the stairs, visitors will enter the ocean of knowledge from the kingdom of nature.

Kids' areas such as i-BOX area accommodate toys, animals, plants, and books. Whether reading attentively or talking to friends, children can have fun here.

Project Need

The project builds a "Nature Museum" in the city based on the design concept of "urban hills". The visitors feel like they're visiting the zoo when they enter the space. Several animal-simulation sculptures add a unique touch to the interior. The design creates a symbiotic relationship between the interior decorations and the surrounding environment through the placement of art installations and the creation of the whole spatial atmosphere. The spatial experience is interactive, memory-evoking, impressive and fun.

Standing close to the river, the project enjoys a favorable location to connect with the existing natural settings, and to create a sense of layering at the edge area. The design team utilized transparent materials, and created an indoor "forest" and a natural museum. The vitality of "forest" is interspersed in the space, and the modern material textures echo the surrounding environment.

Design Challenge

The designers extracted the elements of hills as the medium of art. To realize the hill-like forms in the space posed great challenges to construction. The team adopted wooden boards instead of GRG to construct the ceiling and floor of the "hill" at the front hall. The on-site construction process incorporated the close cooperation among various disciplines, and also embodied the craftsmanship of the construction workers. The flower-like interactive art installation in the front hall is a visual highlight. The visitors can perceive the varied odors of different stamens, which strengthen their memory about the space. This art installation brought some technical difficulties regarding the aroma and mist spraying, which were solved by the design team eventually.

Sustainability

The project well adapts to the site's conditions, and fully considers the attributes of the surrounding land and natural environment. With resources such as schools and art centers converging in the surroundings, it brings in a "nature museum" and creates a paradise that promotes children's growth. The I-Box area presents real scenes, and will be permanently retained, which avoids waste of resources caused by demolition or conversion. The café at the bar area is operated in collaboration with a local coffee brand. It will continue to be used as a coffee shop after the project completes its property selling functions.