Golden A' Design Award Winner 2020
Drawing upon traditions of Eastern architectural philosophy that emphasize the meditative journey through space rather than mere arrival at destination, this twilight view of Taizhou Mansion Commercial Architecture by FENG CHENG reveals a design approach that transforms the simple act of walking into a contemplative experience of remarkable spatial poetry, the covered promenade extending before the viewer demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how architecture can frame and enhance natural phenomena, capturing the ephemeral beauty of the blue hour when day surrenders to evening in gradual chromatic transformation, the compositional achievement lies not merely in the strong axial perspective that draws the eye forward but in the delicate counterbalancing of rigid geometry with organic landscape elements, the skeletal winter trees rising like ink brush calligraphy against the pale sky while sculpted evergreen shrubs anchor the ground plane with rounded organic forms, the material palette speaks to refined restraint where smooth white surfaces establish luminous planes that catch and reflect the ambient twilight while charcoal stone paving provides grounding visual weight and warm golden accent lighting creates intimate pools of illumination that guide without overwhelming, particularly notable is the architect's command of threshold experience, the liminal zone where covered and open, interior and exterior, geometric and organic achieve harmonious dialogue, the transparent glazed facade at the corridor's terminus offers glimpse of warmly lit interior spaces beyond, suggesting hospitality and welcome while maintaining spatial mystery, viewers might contemplate how this architectural sequence transforms simple movement through space into heightened awareness of light, material, season, and the passage of time itself
The project was designed by UCGD, commissioned by VANKE. And this is VANKE’s first project to implement the standardized module design. The design of the building focuses on making a positive contribution to the surroundings.Because of the narrow site, the project was to create natural surroundings of the building and keep connection in-between. Due to referencing Chinese garden, the walls give the project its own character, which not only lowed the impact of messy environment, but also create many winding paths and framed beautiful spaces.