Ningbo International Conference Center, built on a bridge over Dongqian Lake
Tanghua Architects, Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Mixed Use
/
Completed
The given site was a lush agrarian landscape filled with rice paddies with a clean and pristine Jiangnan vibe. During the initial site visit, our team was in great admiration of the place and realized the greatest constraint of the project was the beautiful site itself, or, the future disruption that would be caused by the construction. This realization was the driver of our concept to preserve the landscape as much as possible. We also realized that on a larger scale, the astronomical expansion of urban areas for major Chinese cities has caused a general loss of agrarian memory. Children growing up in the 21st century are largely immersed in urban and industrialized zones, unfamiliar with the air and water of nature, farmlands, and of their history.
By packing all the architectural programs within a linear bridge form with 110,000 square meter footprint, we had left out a large open area of 550,000 square meters allowing for natural preservation and public access. The bridge configuration also integrates the architecture with infrastructure, creating a throughway circulation above the agrarian landscape and also directly into the buildings. The elevated building allows for extensive views towards the preserved landscape and the sprawling urban fabric to the westm and the vast Dongqian Lake to the east. The building itself also becomes a focal point for the surrounding areas. Its unique presentation with large open landscape on both sides is itself an attraction.
The primary value this design has provided is land, by minimizing the building footprint. Barely any technical implementation can supplement the significantly inefficient use of land. In the Chinese context, due to the “farmland swap” policy, this strategy also creates the potential for the government to be financially more sustainable with future land sales. Another strategy is the compact integration of programs and infrastructure, this reduces redundancy, allows for a minimal building surface area for insulation. Timber structure is also used to promote renewable construction materials in the context of tight Chinese regulatory landscape.
The parti of the project is a simple gesture that deals with multitude of issues at the same time: the compactness deals with the explosive urban sprawl of modern China, the preservation of landscape directs at the loss of history and natural heritage due to fast pace demolition and construction, and the linear form with vaguely Chinese architectural elements refer to a modernist influence that the People’s Republic had a complicated relationship since its founding. Another significance worth noting is that despite the seemingly radical architectural configuration, we have tried our best to introduce specific places and details to the project referring to the historic Ningbo that we discovered through old photos from the 19th century. This contrast has made the project not just a radical modernist intervention, but also a section of history presented in the era of accelerating loss. The building itself is an actual bridge: the ground level is left open for landscape, water, flora and fauna to go through; the bridge itself also contains programs that serve the main programs of the upper floor; the top floor holds the main venues and hotel that require the optimal access and view. The open landscape is a great opportunity to create an on-site ecosystem that are sustainable both environmentally and financially.
Ningbo being a provincial city not having a significant portion of migrants, the population compared to the “first tier” cities are mainly locals. The feedbacks we receive from the locals in general reflect a sense of future-orienting optimism while still being able to pay respect to the city’s history and its heritage. It also creates a publicly accessible place for its citizens to appreciate the city’s famous Dongqian Lake at an appropriate elevation without being obstrusive.
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Amidst the Mountains and Lakes
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
Large area of agrarian land is preserved as a public park for the city.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
The view across the Dongqian Lake. A thin skyline between two mountains.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
Existing rivers flow through the building, as it takes a bridge form.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
The presentation of the building reflects a vibe that blends into the neighbourhood both with other buildings and the vast landscape. It has a mediating scale between the city and the nature.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
The footprint creates clear boundaries between the building and the landscape. It expresses a clear design intention that preserves the landscape.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
Despite its continuous form, the building volumes are broken down into parts in elevation to relief pressure towards its environments.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
The part of the building that is designated for summit level conference. This zone is provided with a ceremonial plaza and a viewing tower.
Ningbo International Conference Center Management Co., Ltd.
Summit hall front view.
Ningbo International Conference Center Management Co., Ltd.
River flowing through the building, as two bridges crossing the water acting as public infrastructure allowing through traffic.
Ningbo International Conference Center Management Co., Ltd.
Viewing tower at the river's edge. Viewing platforms from the conference halls extend slightly into the water to create friendly interface between the building and the water while fulfill flood safty requirements.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
Covered corridor on the top level provides pedestrian protection and promoting timber as renewable construction material.
Geek Media Studio (Ningbo)
Project Sketch by Tang Hua
Tanghua Architects
Submission model for the initial architectural competition
Tanghua Architects
Location of the site in the context of Ningbo's city edge and Dongqian Lake
Tanghua Architects
Site Plan
Tanghua Architects
Historic map of Ningbo showing its exposive expansion since the 1980s
Tanghua Architects
In wake of urban sprawl and the waning of old style industry, we promote a compact city form to prepare for the growth of a more service based economic structure
Tanghua Architects
Instead of evenly distribute programs across the site, our design is intended to preserve most of the land.
Tanghua Architects
The landscape is intended to be continuous allowing flora and fauna to move between the lake to east and the farmland to the west.
Tanghua Architects
We discovered historic Ningbo through 19th century photography, as the old Ningbo is but a minority part of the entire city fading in people's memories.
Tanghua Architects
The bridge form of the building takes inspiration of an important and famous type in the local area that is "Langqiao" (Covered bridge).
Tanghua Architects
The building itself is in section three parts: bridge legs; bridge body; conference venues. Each part implemented appropriate structural forms accordingly.
Tanghua Architects
The bridge itself is actually hollow, hosting programs for traffic, equipments and service programs for the main venues.
Tanghua Architects
The long skyline of the building reveals one quality of the design: that it is not a monotonous strip but a group of smaller volumes organized linearly.
Tanghua Architects
We studied the line of sight and various building heights meticulous to achieve optimal view.
Tanghua Architects
In plan from west to east, we have designed four zones: agrarian landscape zone, conference venue zone, wetland zone, lakeview zone
Tanghua Architects
Infrastructure is integrated within the building
Tanghua Architects
The found condition of the site: vast areas of rice paddies
Tanghua Architects
The lotus pond and the built project
Tanghua Architects
Detail of competition entry model
Tanghua Architects
Render from the competition entry - Farmland and the floating city.
Ningbo
China
Ningbo International Conference Center Development Co., Ltd.
Hosting conferences, hospitality and retail
05/2022
406200 sq. m
Confidential
Tang Hua
Tanghua Architects: Tang Hua, Deng Fang, Peng Jian, Zhang Qiulong, Chen Wenfeng, Tang Mengchan, Yu Wenbo, Huang Zhenji, Yi Xihao, Wang Kun, Liu Huawei, Wang Tianhao, Liu Ying, Zhen Xin, Wang Xinzu BIAD: Project Lead: Xie Xin, Gao Weijie, Peng Lin, Zhou Junxian, Liu Yue BIAD-Architecture: Yang Shan, Teng Jun, Qiao Yibing, Guo Xiaochen, Kang Lijun, Sun Shangwen, Zhao Yanhao, Zhao Dawei, Jin Yirun, Li Shujing, Liu Chen, Wei Chengqi, Jiang Chenxi BIAD-Structure: Wei Dong, Han Wei, Hao Tong, Wu Bojiang, Cheng Hanwen, Li Qian, Chang Ting, Wang Sheng, Fang Qixiao, Su Fulong, Song Zikui, Niu Yanan, Chen Yaxin, Li Xuechao, Hao Zhenyu, Pan Yucheng, Teng Fei BIAD-MEP: Xu Honglei, Yang Fan, Wang Jinbiao, Qi Ruiying, Gao Chen, Hu Guixia, Xu Yiheng, Zhao Xin, Zhao Shengquan, Jiang Hang, Chen Huiling, Huang Mengjiao, Sun Qian, Gong Yingqian, Ren Hong, Hua Jianjiang, Wei Jie, Wang Lingyu, Zhi Jingjing, Wei Hengjie, Ruan Jiaqi, Zhao Cong, Geng Yi, Jiang Luyan
China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp. Ltd.
Interior Design: Beijing BIAD Decoration Engineering & Design Co., LTD Signage / Graphics: Hangzhou JiCheng Culture & Art Co., Ltd. Landscape Design: Hangzhou Landscape Architecture Design Institute Co., LTD Lighting: Kaser Lighting Design Façade Consultant: China Construction and Architecture Technology Co., LTD BIM Consultant: Ningbo Youchen Architectural Design Consultancy Civil Air Defense Consultant: Nanjing Underground Engineering Architecture Design Institute Ningbo Hi-tech Branch Infrastructure Design Consultant: Ningbo Economic & Technical Development Zone Urban Construction Design co. ltd Sustainability Consultant: Ningbo Huacong Construction Energy Conservation Technology Co., Ltd. Traffic Engineering Consultant: Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute Special Fire Engineering Consultant: ARUP Shanghai Noise Control Consultant: BMILP Science & Technology Development Co., LTD Design Consultant: Ningbo Urban Construction Design Co., LTD
Geek Photography Studio(Ningbo), Ningbo International Conference Center Management Co., Ltd.
Curriculum
Founded in 2002, Tanghua Architects is an award-winning architectural design practice based in Shenzhen.In 2012,Tanghua Architects was listed as one of the top 100 architecture design institutes in China by the Architectural Society of China.
Tang Hua is the Chief Architect of Shenzhen Tanghua Architects, a grade-1 registered architect in China, APEC architect,a RIBA Chartered Member,and many other titles.He is also a professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Chongqing University since the 1980s.
During his prolific career as an architect,Tang Hua has designed nearly 500 projects with over 80 of them built,including Ningbo International Conference Center,Chengdu Tianfu International Conference Center,T.Y. Lin International China HQ,etc..
Tanghua has received a number of prestigious national and international design awards including the Gold Award of the Architectural Society of China Architecture Design Awards.
