With 486 applicants and 249 conceptual plans received, MUDA-Architects stood out from the 20 finalists and won the first prize in "The Most Beautiful Bookstore in Chengdu" competition. The competition was sponsored by the Chengdu Tianfu New Area Investment Group, China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute, and co-sponsored by Chengdu Yi Zhu Yi Shi Culture Communication Ltd.
MUDA-Architects' project reflected Chengdu's unique urban temperament and lifestyle through the bookstore design. The architects also paid the highest respects to the natural environment of Xinglong Lake by designing an ecological blueprint with an emphasis on "landscape integration and urban symbiosis."
The project is located at the east side of Xinglong Lake Bay Area, with a square mass of 12 meters x 39 meters. MUDA-Architects were inspired by the idea of "a book falling from the sky," and formed the structure in the shape of a book. Through this metaphor, MUDA-Architects hopes that visitors can read and embark on a journey of self-discovery in a peaceful environment.
The lowest point of the roof is 3 meters in height, while another corner of the building is elevated to 16 meters, and the final corner measuring 7.5 meters; thus forming a roof with spiritual symbolization. When the wind lightly strikes the water, the lake surface echoes on the curvy roof. The building can also linearly expand according to the site's conditions, providing a connection to the open lake.
With neither winding corridors, nor mysterious concealment, the whole space gives readers unlimited possibilities and great physical and mental freedom. MUDA-Architects uses architectural language to propose the relationship between man and books, man and nature, and man and space. Within this building, mountains, lakes, and nature are equivalent to people, we regain interest to each other while forgetting ourselves; within this building, visitors are awakened to face their true self, and to repair the degraded senses.
News via: MUDA-Architects
- Project Name：Xinglong Lake Bookstore Design
- Project location: Chengdu, China
- Area: 500 m²
- Project Manager: Lu Yun
- Design Team: Lu Yun, Zhao Guojun, Ni Dandan, Li Yue, Lin Jiayi, Liu Xiaoqiao, Li Rang, Liu Hanning
