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Architects: hyperSity architects
- Area: 400 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Jin Weiqi
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Lead Architects: Shi Yang
Text description provided by the architects. Shangzhuang in Haidian District, Beijing, was once the countryside estate and farmland of the Nalan family. The project aims to explore the architectural prototype of rural agricultural facilities and think about how to use materials to organize structures in a rational and effective way, naturally generating specific interest spaces. On a 400-square-meter field in the countryside, the architect decided to use a comprehensive spatial form to fulfill the integration of functional needs from the field to the table.
The spatial structure of the station building uses a column grid with a depth of 4700mm and a width of 5700mm in the longitudinal direction and is built using modular units in a free and flexible manner. Under the uniform modular relationship, local spatial divisions, changes in light and shade, etc. are achieved. On the west side of the building, a semi-outdoor space is left, which connects the building and the field views and functions closely. The south side of the building is a landscaped area for adoptive agriculture, and the open floor-to-ceiling glass brings it into the interior. The north side of the building is considered the relatively closed space of the northern climate.
The station building has a kitchen, dining room, and several independent rooms, which can accommodate workshop functions for cooking and preparing meals. In the future, the large space in the comprehensive space can be freely divided into several interconnected and integrated small spaces, and the partition walls removed to leave a large continuous space. People can arrange the post stations freely, transforming them into any form they desire.
Timber architecture is not a design deduction based on space, but rather a consideration of how to use materials in a rational and effective structural organization, from which a specific space naturally emerges. The basic structural form of the building uses a glued laminated timber structure and is modified into an umbrella shape, closely following the traditional logic of structural types. The steel plate metal components are not only an important element of structural expression but also enable the columns to spread out in four directions in the form of an umbrella, forming a space frame roof system that provides the possibility of expanding the scale and spatial form of the building. On the other hand, the steel plate is connected to the glued laminated timber columns through brackets and displays a metal edge at the bottom, which can create a smooth visual extension by displaying a refined joint aesthetic.
Timber architecture is a good choice for rural facilities, as its flexibility and industrialized assembly can break through the construction technology and cost barriers in rural areas. From factory-processed wood, workers can assemble the structure on-site within two months, allowing for cross-regional production and assembly.
