Project Brief

• In October 2020, Nantong • The north is adjacent to an urban arterial

Location Development Zone Public road. The east and west are adjacent to
Nantong Culture Center was finally the city branch road, and it connects to
completed and opened after Nengda Central Park on the south side. It
China
three years of design and is the intersection of the central axis of
construction. the business district and the ecological
Arcitects landscape axis.
TJAD Time and Space • The total construction area of
the Cultural Center is about
Architecture
32,000 square meters, of which
the ground area is 25,000 Site
square meters.

• It consists of three functions:

library (10,000 square meters),
cultural center (10,000 square
Area meters), and archives (5,000
30,000 m2 square meters).

• It is located in the core plot of

Year Nengda Business District
2020 of Nantong Development Zone.
Design Concept
Egrets in the sunglow ready to fly.

The lack of historical context and the lack of urban spatial characteristics is
often the problem that architects need to face in the new urban district.

Therefore, the architects followed the design principle of mining the gene
of the place and merging the regional impressions.

Mining the gene of the place: The design was inspired by the egrets that
the architects saw on the site and along the riverside during the site
survey.
The folding curtain wall on the south side of the building opens to the lake.
The curtain wall glass adopts screen printing to form flying "wings", like
wings that are spread out.
The overall outline of the building is undulating, clever and elegant, which
abstracts a vivid picture of "white birds and clouds moving away".
Design Concept

Merging the regional impressions: The skyline of the cultural center is composed of a
number of continuous unfurling arcs, which form a varied and constantly changing effect of
the skyline as people’s sight moves. The undulating roof curve is the most representative
feature of the Jiangnan traditional settlement. Reverse Building Cornice of “Spread wings like
a bird, flutter wings like a pheasant” are vividly reflected in the more agile and light Jiangnan
architecture. Therefore, the design is modern and concise while integrating the impression of
Jiangnan traditional context
 Design Integration

• Firstly, according to the function distribution of surrounding cities, the overall pattern of east-
archives, library (urban attribute) and west-cultural center (community attribute) is formed.
• The design does not separate the three functions into a distributed layout, but organically connects
them in series and integrates them through a large atrium. The concept of library and diverse
cultural complex is more in line with the current open and efficient design principles.
• Then, through a series of techniques of “introduction, extension and unfolding”, the building
extends naturally, and forms a state of mutual integration and penetration with the city and nature.

1. Introduction: To echo city relationships, the building boundaries converge in the four directions toward the periphery of the base to form the entrance plaza

space, which naturally forms a building shape. Each plaza is connected to the central hall and integrated, forming a citizen plaza on the north side, sports and

ecology on the west side. The park, the memorial park on the east side, and the waterfront leisure park on the south side have four theme square parks.

2. Extension: The main building extends to the south, towards the open lake. As a result, the atrium, cultural center and library all have broad and transparent

view corridors like “long scroll of scenery” and “giant screen of city”, as if hanging in the center of the city of a huge painting.

3. Unfolding: The roof of the building undulated and extended to form a “wing” roof space. The roof on the south side gradually curved to meet the needs of the top

space of the theatre and the view expansion of the library, forming a beautiful skyline like spreading wings as a bird and fluttering wings as a pheasant
Design Massing

Functional Layout Extrude Square

Subtraction and Landscape Subtraction

Extension Push and Pull

Final Form
Zoning

Fourth Floor

Third Floor
Legend
Parking

Entertainment
Second Floor
Circulation

Work

First Floor Educational

Services

Recreational

Ground Floor

Basement
Site plan

Legend
1.Nantong Public Cultural
Centre

2.Etiquette Square Entrance

3.Motor Vehicle Parking Lot

4.Non- Motor Vehicle Parking

Lot

5.Outdoor Courtyard

6.Jogging Track

7.Sports Park

8.Ecological Botanical Garden

9.Stage

10.Water Surface
Ground Floor Legend

1. Shared Hall

2. Cultural Centre Foyer

3. Auditorium for 500 people

4. Dressing Room

5. Washroom

6. Office

7. Dance Rehersal Room

8. Martial Arts Room

9. Boxing Room

10.Conference Hall

11. Inner Courtyard

12.Meditation Room

13.Exhibition Hall

14.Lecture Room

15.Service Hall

16.Waiting Area

17.E-Learning Area

18.Lecture Hall

19.Library Foyer

20.Atrium

21.Newspaper Reading Area

22.Children’s Reading Room

23.Reading Room for the Blind

24.Picture Book Booth

Basement Floor
Legend

1. Underground Garage

2. Elevator for Cultural Museum

3. Storage

4. Fire Emergency Tools

5. Library Elevator

6. Fire Safety Elevator

7. Electricity Room 1

8. Electricity Room 2

9. Exhaust Fan Room

10.Motor Room

First Floor
Legend

1. Auditorium for 500 15. Music Room

people
16.Depository Library
2. Public Lounge
17.Commercial Meeting Room
3. Dressing room
18. Repair Room
4. Management Room
19. Control Room
5. Washrooms
20.Cataloging Room
6. Computer Room
21.Warehouse
7. Multimedia Room
22.Service Area
8. Equipment Room
23.Disinfection Room
9. Aviation Room
24.Audiovisual Room
10.Animation Hall
25.Rest Area
11.Public Activity Hall
26.Reading room
12.Handwork Classroom

13.Chess Classroom

14.Qin Room
Second Floor Legend

1. Public Lounge 16. Management Room

2. Rehearsal Hall 17. Conference

3. Dressing room 18. English Classroom

4. Rest Area 19. Music Classroom

5. Washrooms 20. Art and Calligraphy Classroom

6. Library Department 21. Archive Warehouse

7. Cultural Heritage Studio 22. Treasure Library

8. Art Studio 23. Closed Shelf Library

9. Calligrapy Studio 24. Distribution Centre

10.Audiovisual Studio 25. Cataloging

11.Opera Studio 26. Restoration Room

12.Dance Stuio 27. Ancient Books Reading Room

13.Music Studio 28. E-Books Reading room

14.Rehearsal Room 29. Reading Room

15.Office

Third Floor
Legend

1. Archive warehouse

2. Equipment Room

3. Electricity Room 1

4. Electricity Room 2

5. Air Conditioning room

Fourth Floor
Legend

1. Single Office

2. Office

3. Meeting Room

4. History Editing Room

5. Washrooms

6. Server rooms

7. Electronic reception

8. Roof Courtyard
Structural Analysis

Section 1

Section 2

The center follows a simple Column and Beam structural system throughout. The
columns extend from the basement all the way to the top floor.

The auditorium roof however is supported through a truss system for better support.
Light and Shadow Strategy

Fold Wing Curtain Wall

The Architects used a folding screen-printed glass curtain wall on the “Urban Giant Curtain” on the
south façade that unfolded facing the lake. Through the combination of triangles and the white
feather pattern screen-printed glass alternated with transparent glass, the visual effect of wings
stretched and layered is formed. At the same time, it creates a hazy effect of light and dark looming.

Three-dimensional wing louver

Outside the glass curtain wall, instead of the conventional aluminum alloy sheet louver, the design
adopts the technique of three-dimensional louver. While reducing the building’s energy consumption,
three-dimensional cut multi-faceted louvers create a rich light and shadow effect and a vivid surface
rhythm. They also perforated the white feather pattern on the three-dimensional louvers.
Thank You