Putuo Mountain New Passenger Transportation Center, a simple and impressionistic design
The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University (UAD)
Transport
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Completed
Located on the Mount Putuo Island, Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, the project is the sole public port of the Putuo Mountain Scenic Area with a total construction area of 11,778 m2 and a total land area of 48,344 m2. It integrates the wharf area, ticket office, tourist distribution area, waiting area at the exit and etc. And the scenic resort receives more than 12 million visitors each year. Especially on festivals and holidays or days with extreme weather, the massive number of people poses a huge challenge on the capacity of passenger transportation center. The original center is too cramped to accommodate the increasing number of the tourists.
Through reorganizing and planning the existing site of Square of Mount Putuo, three core design concepts are proposed:
① A simple and intensive design to achieve complete building functions
The design keeps the original layout that the entrance is on the east and the exit on the west, and builds an extended platform to expand the architectural space for responding to the increasing number of tourists. Furthermore, the station square and the parking space on the east end are also expanded so as to ease the traffic pressure and optimize the traffic routes, which has significantly facilitated the safety management of tourists.
② The form of breaking up the whole into parts to create a modest architectural gesture
Different from the traditional transportation architecture that acts as the landmark with huge volume, it uses the interlaced surfaces to alleviate visual stress when people arrive, making the wharf a sacred place where passengers can start their pilgrimage.
③ An impressionistic and traditional architectural language to echo the cultural context of the region
The design respects the regional cultural characteristics of Mount Putuo, and fuses modern materials with a simple design language on the base of the traditional Chinese architecture, hence showcasing the uniqueness and philosophy of traditional Chinese architectures. The designers described the project site as the “pious starting point”, hoping to shape the “modest architectural complex.”
The piety represents the devoutness both to the Buddhist belief presented by the site and to the traditional Chinese architectural culture over thousands of years. “As the design starts from the lightness of the building, the lightness will stand out only when the building has abandoned the burden that it shouldn’t bear.” The lightness is to express modesty, while modesty derives from the awe and reverence to the land.
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Aerial view of passenger transportation center and square
Zhao Qiang
Site and surrounding environment
Zhao Qiang
A panoramic view of the new pier
Zhao Qiang
Old and new piers
Zhao Qiang
View of passenger transportation center from the square
Zhoushan
Afghanistan
Management Committee of Putuo Mountain Scenic Area
09/2019
11778 m2
19,837,464.829.00 €
Shen Xiaoming
Chen Xuefeng, Hong Tao
Cheng Long Group
Dong Danshen
Zhao Qiang
Curriculum
The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD) was established in 1953. It is one of the earliest First Class Design Institutes among major national universities. The company now has nearly 1400 employees. UAD holds creating harmonious environments, a global vision, complete services, and the highest professionalism as their guidelines. Based on the resources of Zhejiang University, UAD relies on Academicians of the China Academy of Engineering and the China Academy of Sciences to support the blossoming architectural creations. The company seeks extensive international academic exchanges and joint engineering designs. It has won over 1200 awards for outstanding designs, excellent projects or research outcomes at national, ministerial and provincial, as well as international levels.
