Architecture Health And Sports Education Center

Designed as a building which subtly folds over and into itself, the new Health & Sports Education Center for Kang-won University’s Choon-Chun Campus is to be both a forward-looking building for the University as well as an important outreach to the community which hosts it. Designed by Kang Chul-Hee and Idea Image Institute of Architects, the Center offers programmatic elements ranging from recreation and swimming pool, to professorial offices and classrooms. Below is afurther description provided by the architects.

Entering through multi-level entrances, the underground level houses daily sports programs for faculty, students and local residents while the ground level houses education facilities and classrooms. Main facilities, such as the swimming pool, gym, and exhibition hall are located on the second level, which can be accessed from the front plaza. Professor’s offices are on the third and fourth levels which are designed to face southeast considering their usage.

The consideration of nature and efficient maintenance promoted a green campus image. Using skylights and power windows provided the solution for swimming pool condensation and secured enough natural light for the stadium. Interesting space with attractive structure and a three dimensional deck vitalizes the sports facility. Sensuous and creative figures are expected to become Choon-Chun’s landmark.

“Endless Green Flow” is planned to be an environment friendly sports center, and it embodied an image of Mobius Strip, based on Kang-Won University’s ideology: Continuity and Eternity. It is expected to go beyond the idea of a mundane sports center, and as Kang-Won University’s vigorous and aspiring space, the center is to be a continuous sustainable design coexisting with nature.

Architect: Chul-Hee, Kang and Idea Image Institute of Architects
Project Team: Jong-moo, Kim; Yong-won, Kim; Noa, Kim; Eugene Chun Bo-ram, Kim; Jeong-Tae, Gwon; Ji-Hyung Kim; Moo-Jong, Yoo; Chul, Gwon
Location: Gangwon-do, Korea
Function: Education & Research facilities
Site area: 9,000㎡
Bldg. area: 4,990.10㎡
Total floor area: 9,437.44㎡
Stories: B1, 4Fl.
Height: 22.85m
Structure: Reinforced concrete, Steel, Steel truss
Finish: Aluminium panel, Wood louver

Architecture Chengdu Wuzhou International Plaza In China

Last January, Synthesis Design + Architecture Inc. awarded the first place in the invited international design competition for the Shanghai Wuzhou International Plaza. The proposal embodies the energy and vibrancy of the cities distinct urban environment. Inspired by traditional Chinese concepts of Yin and Yang. The Shanghai Wuzhou International plaza is located along Huatai Road in the third ring of the urban metropolis of Shanghai. The project contains two blocks, the northern block features an enclosed 4 story luxury retail shopping podium anchored by the corporate headquarters of developer Hong Kong Wuzhou International Group and a 5 star hotel tower. While the southern block contains a 4 level retail, lifestyle and entertainment complex anchored by two office towers. More details come from the architect after the jump.

With two sites, two retail podiums and three towers, our primary design intent was to unify the various programs, buildings, and parcels into a single and cohesive identity.

Inspired by the flowing ribbons and choreographed movements of traditional Chinese Ribbon dances, our proposal for the Chengdu Lotus Pond Development seeks to recreated the elegance of the flowing ribbons and the notion of the projects form not as a collage of platonic objects, but rather as a choreographed composition of dancing surfaces which come together, peel apart, and are in constant yet synchronized movement. Architecture emerges in the space between (both inside and outside) the choreographed surfaces. The project is articulated as a collection of dynamic bands which simultaneously wrap the two podiums, connect the two sites (in the form of 3 connective sky bridges), define a unifying external courtyard and merge the horizontal (2 retail podiums) with the vertical (3 office towers).

The wrapping moves of the retail podiums articulate two opposing external courtyards which collectively form a single courtyard experience that starts at ground level at the pedestrian street and dips down to a lower ground level that spatially unifies the two sites visually at upper floors and literally at the ground and lower ground levels.

Program: 290,000sqm Office Building and Retail Development

Location: ChengDu, China

Client: :  Jinniu district market development and service center

Collaborators: Shenzhen General Institute of Architectural Design and Research, FLVR Studio
Year: 2012
Status: Competition Entry (Invited)