Wuxiangshan Mountain Experience Center
Our role for the Mountain Experience Center is to create an engaging, family and community friendly space within an existing concrete structure, which acts as the gateway to the Wuxiangshan scenic area outside of Nanjing, in Jiangsu province. Currently under construction.
The first floor entrance is seen as a playground
Location of Wuxiangshan scenic area with regards to Nanjing city center
Wuxiangshan Scenic Area
The Mountain Experience Center is located within, and as the gateway for, the Wuxiangshan scenic area, near Lishui, Jiangsu province.
Wuxiangshan locality plan
The outdoor playground and water plaza
Addition to the community.
The state of the existing structure as we joined the project team
Rapid Development
Rapid growth in China has created a vast amount of unnecessary development, many of which now remain unfinished, or lacking a clear function or purpose. The existing structure is an example of such development.
Wuxiangshan Mountain Experience Center site plan
Third Ecology
We started out by working on what the program of the building should be, how it can serve the community and bring family out of the city to enjoy the natural environment.
Kids playing in the water plaza which stretches into the landscape
Playful Spaces
We designed spaces which can be appropriated by families and kids in any way they please, which extend out from the enclosed structure, into the beautiful natural setting.
Mixing Program
The functions were then mixed to accommodate all members of the family. Including picnic areas, bookshop, reading areas, cafe, restaurant and viewing areas, people of all ages can enjoy the center.
Private & quiet reading space which opens up to the outside and planted screen wall
Sectional perspective
A busy day in the site office
Community Collaboration
Before starting our design, we met with local organizations on the site so that we could fully understand the desires of the surrounding areas, as well as knowing the full situation of the site conditions, development and future plans.
Working as a Team
Much like our other projects in Nanjing, we work closely with our construction teams on-site to make sure our designs are realized fully, from our design intent to reality.
On-site discussions
Timber off-cuts on the site
Materiality
We used as natural a material palette as possible, choosing materials which represented the surrounding area, from grey brick to lots of natural wood.
Our new proposed floor; using traditional local grey bricks
Landscape & Architecture
Much detail was given to the design and selection of appropriate landscape elements and planting throughout the project. We treated the landscape as merely another space in the architectural plan, with as much importance.
A scale model snapshot
Overall first floor and landscape plan
A view of the structure, with a planted green facade, looking over the proposed wetland in front of the building
Functional wall concept sketch
Minimum Architecture, Maximum Experience
Through careful design of the interior elements, we create the maximum experience and function within the space, with the minimum amount of material, structure, and intervention.
Functional wall during construction
Tea Pavilion
As a counterpoint to the large main building, we placed an open tea pavilion out in the middle of the wetlands, to offer a zen-like space and experience.
A view from the teahouse looking back toward the structure
Team: Martijn de Geus, Simon Henstra, Soon Chern Tan, Victor Tee, Han Zhang
Client: Lishui Municipal Government Planning Department
Project Year: Ongoing
Location: Wuxiangshan, Jiangsu Province, China