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Architects: Archi-Union Architects
- Area: 695 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Hao Chen
Text description provided by the architects. Jade Museum Xintiandi inspiration comes from Chinese jade and contemporary interpretation of calligraphy. The space is mainly for traditional jade exhibition, but the challenge is how to express a special space with East Zen and integrate into the commercial atmosphere of Xintiandi in a contemporary way. Although the overall volume is small, we try to see much in little and deal with the possibilities of a small-scale space abstractly. The experience inside the space is like in a shadowy painting scene with the power of nature like waves and thunders of a waterfall. We take the simplest sphere as the geometric object of operation, hide the structure and highlight the intention of space. Of course, during a very short-time construction period, digital fabrication method provides the quality assurance.
When shaping the entire space, we redefined a sphere as one of the basic natural geometries in the architecture language. Sphere has a unique metaphorical meaning that is transcendental in the cultural language. In the context of preserving the original structure space, we re-planned the space layout based on the exhibition circulation: the entire display space was divided by spheres cutting, then remodeled and normalized as a whole space. Spheres with different scales and proportions, various cutting and integrating solutions and diverse combination methods of the space make the entire space rich and varied. While as the main theme of the space, jade is metaphorically re-expressed, and the whole visiting journey is like walking inside the exquisite and varied jade carving.
Through a reasonable integration, the original blunt geometry is getting a lyrical poetry-like feeling. Traditional single commercial display space was divided into different internal spaces like hall, court, alley, garden and corridor. Meanwhile, the view of the spaces is connected by cavity, valley, hill and lake. The sound focus effect created by the spherical space enhanced the amusement of sound field, not only the traditional visual perception. Traditional activities like tea tasting, jade appreciation, aromatic smelling and bamboo listening are available in such a diverse artistic exhibition space.
Of the ink in the nothingness; of the river in time
Abundant light created an ink-painting-like feeling to the space; meanwhile the gradation of the space gives visitor a nothingness and far-reaching prospect, getting perception and understanding from another dimension. The boundaries of different medias like light, shadow, and shape are blurred gradually, forming a seamless integration of perception. Different images are collided and overlapped in the multi-dimensional space. Although the boundary of light and shadow is supple, the impression is very strong to people. This contrast let the various spaces etch in visitors’ mind deeply. A sense of time elapse seems like touchable and reachable with varying sceneries and changing viewpoints.
