Recently crowned as the world’s second-largest economy, China continues to develop new and interesting ways of embracing the free market economy; this time by experimenting with private funding for public buildings.  The Two is an example of this inventive approach, where buildings are designed to respond to current and anticipated demographics, cultural and technological changes in innovative ways.

Honorable Metion |  RTFA 2014 Awards
Category: Commercial Built

©Line and Space LLC

Recently crowned as the world’s second-largest economy, China continues to develop new and interesting ways of embracing the free market economy; this time by experimenting with private funding for public buildings.  The Two is an example of this inventive approach, where buildings are designed to respond to current and anticipated demographics, cultural and technological changes in innovative ways.

The bright yellow, corrugated metal drum of the main building volume reveals itself through the garden and is intended to become an icon for the development.  As visitors arrive at the building, an entry path through the garden and between two asymptotic black basalt walls allows one to remove themselves from the realm of the car.  The curving six-meter tall walls of honed black basalt funnel visitors to the entry while screening out undesirable views.  These walls create a sense of compression as one moves toward the entry, before releasing visitors into the open interior space.

©Line and Space LLC

A large central garden surrounded by curved glass walls brings in daylight, provides a connection to nature and strengthens the facilities inward view-focus.  The garden is also designed as a cool air generator, drawing in air through operable louvers for natural ventilation.  A continuous clerestory that brings daylight to the perimeter of the building integrates louvers to exhaust the heated air that rises to the top of the building.