DQZ CULTURAL CENTER BY HAO / HOLM ARCHITECTURE OFFICE

The DQZ Culture Center sits on a site in a newly developed part of the city of Daqiuzhuang situated approximately 200 kilometers south of Beijing in northern China. A rural village in a desolated salty marshland only 30 years ago, Daqiuzhuang has grown from village to city rapidly due to its early investments in and production of the city’s main commodity: steel.

The DQZ Culture Center building occupies a redesigned plaza that mimics the historic marshland of the city in its tone and variety of plantlife, combining landscape, trees, flexible water features, and gathering spaces into a new urban center with the 20,000 M2 / 200,000 SF DQZ Cultural Center at its core.

The new DQZ building takes its form from the traditional Chinese courtyard square. By lifting the square in the diagonal corners, dual entry points to the building are created which lead visitors and locals through the building’s ground level public programs to the mid- and upper-level exhibition spaces while extending the existing North-South axis of the surrounding city.

The inner courtyard of the building creates a protected lush landscape with cherry trees and terraces, which can be used as an outdoor venue for local theater and festival events. The central exhibition space of the building opens up visually through glass facades to the courtyard connecting the interior spaces with the exterior courtyard.

Celebrating the history of the city’s growth, the DQZ building’s facade is made of perforated steel plates. This allows for natural ventilation as well as the integration of the building’s signage into the facade itself. The building is designed to integrate geo-thermal heating for heating and cooling as well the integration of PV cells in parts of the roof and in areas of the public plaza.

“We are exited for the opportunity to work with the city of Daqiuzhuang. With the DQZ building we wanted to generate a design that unites past and present in one building. It simultaneously integrates much needed public functions for the expanding city from kindergartens to areas for community gathering and cultural exhibitions while celebrating the history of the area through the use of steel in the building façade and structure." - Jens Holm, founder HAO / Holm Architecture Office.

Location: Daqiuzhuang, China

Architect: HAO /Holm Architecture Office

Project Team: AI, Kragh & Berglund

Area: 30,000 Mq

Year: 2012

SAMARANCH MEMORIAL MUSEUM BY HAO

Juan Antonio Samaranch of Spain was the president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001. Throughout his presidency he advocated for reform and inclusion and was a strong supporter of China’s bid as host city for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Tianjin, a city of over 12 million people in northwestern China near Beijing, was the site of several Olympic events.

The new museum and memorial will both highlight Samaranch’s professional history and look to the future, offering space for rotating exhibits of contemporary art and culture.

“With the design of the Samaranch Memorial Museum we propose to merge two existing typologies: the memorial and the museum. This new combination allows the building to both honor the life of Juan Antonio Samaranch while simultaneously creating a place that focuses on the true legacy of the Olympics—creating of opportunities for people to meet and celebrate across cultural and geographical boundaries,” explains Jens Holm, HAO founder and principal.

The five interlocking rings of the Olympic symbol serves as the foundation for the 25,000 square meter (250,000 square foot) building design.

By re-arranging the rings and varying the scale, the HAO design creates a museum consisting of two rings above ground with three sunken courtyards.

The two main rings serve as counterparts in the story of the life of Juan Antonio Samaranch.  The first ring invites visitors in through a public courtyard, lifting them onto a circular ramp.

This ring will house exhibits that speak to the legacy of Juan Antonio Samaranch’s work with the Olympic Committee and the impact it has had on China and the world.

The second ring encloses a garden and focuses on the life and work of Juan Antonio Samaranch, serving as a memorial to his achievements.

Together the two rings create a continuous loop taking the visitor through both the exhibition and memorial areas.

The building design incorporates green technologies, from the installation of energy-producing solar cells on the building’s roof to climate control through geothermal heating and cooling.

The surrounding 80,000 square meter (800,000 square foot) park features 204 circles representing each of the member countries of the International Olympic Committee.

The circles contain different program and landscaping, creating a lush and varied park experience.

The new museum and grounds are slated for completion in 2013.

INFO: 

Architects: Archiland Beijing, HAO (Holm Architecture Office)
Location: Tianjin, China
Project Area: 25,000 m2 building, 100,000 m2 landscape

Client: City of Tianjin
Collaborators: Krag & Berglund, Cowi Beijing