Guangzhou, China

Xiao Lei and his team at TEAM_BLDG have completed a new urban landscape project called “The Earth” for Guangzhou Poly that includes a new service center, public toilets, and a rest area at Pazhou Poly Sport Park, in the Haizhu District, in Guangzhou, China.

The project, located on the shore of Pazhou island surrounded by the Pearl River, includes the design for a new public service center of the sports park by the Pearl River, with the function of reception, resting rooms, public toilets.

The sports park faces the Pearl River and backs to dense urban complexes like the Poly Building, and InterContinental Hotel. 

Looking down from above, the park is born with water and full of green vegetation. 

Therefore, the first purport of the design is to create a “hidden” public service space that “grows” from the earth and fits in the surrounding landscape.

Starting with the existing landscape movement line, the architect’s design intends to meet two types of crowd activity: around and through the architecture. 

Therefore, the design team “piled up” a naturally raised green space on top of the original landscape, then “cut” it through with paths shaped like a cross.

Next, the team set four spaces of reception, resting room, public toilets, and equipment room on both sides of the “cross path” to enclose a transitional pocket courtyard in the middle. 

With the earth-covered construction, the architecture blends itself into nature and becomes part of the original landscape of the sports park in a simple manner.

Meanwhile, as a public service facility, parts like the entrance need to be recognized. 

So, the architects built-up part of the space higher to create a three-dimensional “cross” path. 

Skylight spreads over the fifth facade, people walk through in twos and threes, and the open paths connect with the original trails. 

The roof is rolling, while the space is hidden by grass and shrubs; it sedates but is accessible.

When night falls, the indoor lights pour out from the hole in the white wall, and people’s sight would move between natural and artificial scenery.

Traditional public toilets have long been opposed and rejected because of single function and negative image. 

The design here seeks to eliminate the deep-rooted negative perception of the public toilets, so the public facilities become part of people’s daily activities. 

The built-in functions of reception, rest, changing clothes and toilet, respond to the needs of users from a more daily perspective, so they realize that public toilets are not just bricked rooms.

So, the architects built up part of the space higher to create a three-dimensional “cross” path. 

Sky light spreads over the fifth facade, people walk through in twos and threes, and the open paths connect with the original trails. 

The roof is rolling, while the space is hidden by grass and shrubs; it sedates, but is accessible.

When night falls, the indoor lights pour out from the hole in the white wall, and peo-ple’s sight would move between natural and artificial scenery.

Traditional public toilets have long been opposed and rejected because of their single function and negative image. 

The design here seeks to eliminate the deep-rooted negative perception of public toilets, so that public facilities become part of people’s daily activities. 

The built-in functions of reception, rest, changing clothes, and toilet, respond to the needs of users from a more daily perspective, so they realize that public toilets are not just bricked rooms.

Project: The Earth | Pazhou Poly Sport Park Service Center
Architects: TEAM_BLDG
Design Team: Xiao Lei, Shigeno Yuji,Yang Yuqiong, Wang Han, Cao Yi, and Eleonora Nucci
Collaborators: AND Office
Client: Guangzhou Poly
Photographers: Jonathan Leijonhufvud