XINXIANG: THE KINGDOM OF ICE
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XINXIANG: THE KINGDOM OF ICE

INSPIRED BY FROZEN, THIS CULTURAL TOURISM CENTER CREATES AN INTERPLAY BETWEEN LIGHT AND GLASS

Pro.Lighting | Zone Of Utopia/Qiang ZOU | Mathieu Forest architecte

XINXIANG: THE KINGDOM OF ICE
By Editorial Staff -

This icy building seems to be melting into the sparkling water beneath it. Located in the town of the same name (formerly known as Muye) in Henan Province, the new Xinxiang Cultural Tourism Center is like a game of ice cubes, with no two the same, set among the reflections of daylight and lighting design inspired by the animated film Frozen. The work of Zone of Utopia / Qiang Zou + Mathieu Forest Architecte studios, the design, a deliberate break with its setting, comprises nine ice cube–shaped blocks staggered and stacked on top of each other to create a different appearance from every angle. Each cube is approximately 56 feet (17 m) high, while the stack reaches a height of 161 feet (49 m) above its shimmering base – a pond apparently formed by the melting ice blocks floating above it. There’s also a nearby natural lake.

The overall effect, therefore, is one of alternating solidity and fragility – a relationship accentuated by glazing digitally printed with ice crystals and snowflakes, and with its panels connected by minimal, almost invisible structures. A kind of game of now you see it, now you don’t, these prints of deconstructed ice crystals let the light filter through to create a dialogue between inside and out.

 

The magic of light

The protagonist of the Xinxiang Cultural Tourism Center is light. The elegant, avant-garde ways it’s been manipulated and combined with shadows have produced effects that underscore the infinite possibilities of architecture. The lighting design, the work of Pro.L, focuses on the structural lines of the cubes and is set to three to five times the overall brightness of the surroundings. During the day, the structure captures natural light and reflects it back with different effects, depending on the time and season. At night, though, the lighting design immerses viewers in a fairytale world. With the facades fully lit up, they illuminate their surroundings in a uniform glow, while preventing passersby from seeing inside.

Gradually increasing in intensity from the bottom to the top, light also plays a role in confounding expectations. Far from being limited to cold white, it shines with shades of light blue, dark blue, and purple – colors inspired by Frozen as well as its fairytale setting. In fact, the building has become a firm favorite with kids who, after dark, can be seen hurrying towards Princess Aisha’s castle. This is architecture that reveals the hidden value of light, not only in terms of its visual beauty, but also in the way it brings a sense of joy to people, regardless of age.

Credits

Location: Xinxiang, Henan
Completion: 2021
Lighting Design: Pro.L
Architectural Design Firm: Zone Of Utopia/Qiang ZOU + Mathieu Forest architecte
Interior Design: WUZ Design
Client: Henan Rongshou Xinchuang Culture and Tourism Real Estate Co. Ltd.
Photography by TOPIA, courtesy of Pro.L

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