Text description provided by the architects. Park Block is sited within Luqiao Old Town, on the east of a 4km long historic street that is and was vital to the town. With respect to the site's existing conditions, the city's park is located on the south, and a busy street filled with retail outlets to its north, thus the park block is an intersection between these two zones - allowing it to be a juncture with layered intents.
The project comprises of five buildings, with the design intent of making a connection between the different urban fabric and scale of the surrounding environment. The spatial hierarchy and a use of different textures allows for a layered visual medley. The patterned windows, reticulating walls, wedge-shaped openings and window glasses, which are made in various materials and scales, can be appreciated independently as a single element, or grouped together in twos or threes and appreciated in different configurations. The architecture elements are on a neutral optical field, and are not in contest visually.
The resultant chaos from the many textures and scales is a response to the character of the town's growth - each section develops independently, in its own manner, but one is still able to appreciate the city as a cohesive whole - a jumble of parts that somehow come together providing a unique sense of place and atmosphere.
This design intent was a good strategy for the construction process, as the coordination for this project was done from some distance. As such, the control over the finer details of jointing, materials, colours and textures were intentionally relaxed. The construction progressed organically, simulating the growth and development of a city.
