Hangzhou, China
CCTN Architectural Design has designed a supporting building inside Linping Sports Park in Hangzhou City, following eco-friendly operation standards with a simple and flowing landscape, open lawns, and streamlined walkways.
This particular project was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
It aims to provide support facilities for the newly built park and consists of a fitness center, a comprehensive indoor arena, and rest stations. The Sports Park is a rare urban oasis in such a densely inhabited city. The original green vegetation of the space has been preserved to a huge extent.
Design Philosophy
Many venues are often used as large-scale landmarks, however, the Project located in the park is closed completely and is not compatible with the park’s open nature. The Sports Park focuses on the ecology and a great wide-open landscape, and this will be continued in the design as well in a graded manner, to ensure that there is a flexible connection between the building and the park.
To ensure the perfect space, it’s important to contract the architectural volume and blur the boundaries between nature and architecture. The idea is to create a dynamic and interactive experience using a simple and efficient design. The architecture will become one with nature and will ideally become a part of the landscape itself.
The design philosophy focuses on ecology, landscaping, and openness, and an umbrella structure is used as the basic unit of the building. Each umbrella-shaped unit has a distinct shape and does not occupy much space. The lower half formed by the circular ceiling is open and free and beautifully integrated with the environment. Numerous such units come together to form a continuous and yet, distinct interior space.
Based on the functional requirements, the umbrella-shaped units can work as a landscaped structure or a functional building offering a large space, and they can adapt to the park’s environment appropriately.
The design uses umbrellas, which are similar in scale to the main tree species in the park. The radius is around 5 m and the height is around 9 m. These are selected as the basic unit and then based on the functional requirements, they are combined to create the sort of sports venue that is required.
Fitness Center
The Fitness Center covers an area of approximately 3,800 sqm and has been constructed using 49 umbrella-shaped units wrapped in white GRC and off-white aluminum panels. The light and transparent venue are open and free, and the landscape with its many squares and walkways add to the allure.
Architecture and nature have come together here, allowing people to access it from all directions. The building uses three big umbrella-shaped units with a diameter of 20 m, with increased visibility. One of the umbrellas has been used as the base for a spiral staircase that connects the ground with the roof.
People can move up to the ring-shaped runway on the roof through the spiral staircase. They can look down on the park and see the other people playing games and feel like they’re floating above them, which is certainly a unique experience.
Comprehensive Indoor Arena
The Comprehensive Indoor Arena covers an area of about 4,100 sqm and consists of 10 basic umbrella-shaped units and a rectangular arena. Based on the requirements of the indoor tennis stadium for a large space without columns, the main body of the arena uses a spatial lattice structure.
On the side of the building facing the central landscape of the park, which is the same side of the main entrance, 10 umbrella-shaped units have been designed as a buffer space cutting through the landscape and the venue. This allows for flexible transition between the venue and the building. The umbrella forest is also useful in providing shelter for outdoor activities in the arena. To eliminate the adverse effects of large venues on the environment, the architects have used anodized aluminum plates with high reflectivity for the surface. As a result, the building is no longer the focus, but becomes an extension of nature, becoming one with the environment.
Structure Form
Selection Due to tight schedule and limited budget, constructing the umbrella-shaped basic unit is the key to the success of the Project. Inspired by the Toyo Ito Library of Taiwan Academy of Social Sciences, the architects determined that the umbrella-shaped unit must be cast-in-place with the concrete structure right at the beginning. Subsequent in-depth investigation revealed that, if cast-in-place concrete was used as the main structure, there would be many added problems such as an increase in the construction duration, rising costs, and difficulty in controlling the accuracy of construction drawings. Eventually, the basic unit of umbrellas was decided to be constructed with steel and external GRC plates.
The steel structure is workable and can be completed quickly, while GRC plates cast in the factory with molds have high precision and are easier to maintain. Due to this, it is convenient and swift to assemble after being transported to the site. An analysis of this method has shown that not only does it meet the budget and time limit, but it also satisfies the requirements of the designer with respect to architectural needs.
The Sports Venue comes together with the umbrella-shaped units and becomes a part of the environment in a graded manner, while retaining the important elements of ecology, openness, and landscape of the Sports Park, to the greatest extent.
The architects hope to camouflage the building, so that this ‘forest’ with its many umbrella-shaped units integrates with the natural forest, creating a unique and unforgettable experience for those who have come here to exercise.
Project: Linping Sports Park Supporting Project
Architects: CCTN Architectural Design Co. Ltd.
Client: Yuhang City Construction Group
Contractor: Huahui Construction Group Co., Ltd
Photographers: CCTN Design