Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in the Italian-style district of Tianjin, where century-old Italian architectural clusters characterized by red bricks stand. The original site of Tianjin Zhongshuge was a modern building that detached from the surrounding classical context. The reconstruction demands an integrated consideration of architecture and interior design, fitting into the cultural atmosphere of the district. Red bricks, as an important constructive material in Italian classical architecture, have become a necessary design element for this project.
Inspired by window shades, the project incorporates a cutting technique into its construction process. The gaps are introduced into the originally dense brickwork, creating a visual effect of the interplay between solid and void, blurring the boundaries. The layered steel plates in the center of the building, with a more delicate cutting form that echoes the undulating waves, interpret the spirit of the urban temperament of Tianjin as a port city.
The entire main body is completed solely with bricks, complemented by metal. Steel, with its modern industrial strength, harmonizes with the classical charm of red bricks, and the collision of warm and cool tones displays a visual tension. Bricks and steel, often regarded as structural materials, are used on a more delicate scale for functional facilities. Bookshelves naturally emerge from the gaps of the material stacking, and seats and steps are introduced following the trend of the bookshelves, integrating seamlessly with the overall spatial layout.
The entire project used about 400,000 bricks, involving hundreds of types of bricks customized specifically, completing a rebellion against the traditional rigid form. From the conceptual sketches to the precise three-dimensional model construction, the design team conducted countless simulations and validations.
