Kengo Kuma and Associates has completed its 10,440 square meter Wuxi Vanke arts and shopping complex, a renovated red brick cotton mill in Wuxi, China, featuring an aluminum-clad extension.
Drawing inspiration from the shape of the local Taihu stone, a water-worn limestone, the extension utilizes porous, aluminum-cast panels to create an "amoeba-shaped space" that juts out from the rigid structure of the existing brick. Each aluminum panel alternates with open space to give the building a waved outline.
Through the perforated facade, sunlight is able to filter into the interior of the building, creating a soft lighting for the arts space.
Furthermore, the building is surrounded by a similarly, wave-shaped pool of water that reflects the facade.
News via Kengo Kuma and Associates
