AZL architects: three courtyards community center, jiangsu province, china
image © iwan baan
a rapidly developing area along the yangtze river called for a community center for recreation, dining and meeting spaces for the residents and
employees of the burgeoning city of yangzhou. the structure used streamlined form and a rich architectonic palette to balance the likes of the
2500 year old beijing-hangzhou grand canal nearby and the sleek glass office blocks that so characterize early urbanity. zhang lei of chinese
firm AZL architects used the cluster of three buildings to assert a statement about the potential for architecture to unify a shifting landscape.
forty-five degree angle pitched roofs visually halt a pattern of locally produced red brick staggered in such a way that the both skin and s
tructure are rendered dynamic, complex planes.
while the roof profile references the local village dwelling typology, the terra-cotta bricks anchor the building into the site in a new way.
two masonry patterns are employed to varying effects– one where every second brick juts out in a three-dimensional herringbone pattern;
the other a lattice-like interlaced regular pattern that allowed for cross-ventilation. the three courtyard blocks are organized around the
conceptual themes of bamboo, stone and water while aggregating in such a way as to reference the closeness of a village community.
open walkways and wooden lattice work provide both airiness and privacy, bolstered by the double entrance court in each building.
interiors are a balanced spatial composition of small rooms, common in chinese chinese restaurants, and large public spaces for
events and meetings.
locally produced tera cotta bricks are employed in both structure and skin
image © iwan baan
materials and rooflines reference the agrarian village, but the streamlined forms hint at a contemporary development
image © iwan baan
the cluster of buildings in the green agricultural landscape
image © iwan baan
architectural form abstracts vernacular built space
image © iwan baan
image © iwan baan
the pitched roof geometry visually halts the brick skin
image © iwan baan
the brick is configured in myriad ways to articulate the space, here is a herringbone pathway and lattice-like walls
image © iwan baan
wooden trellises allow walkways to be both private and airy
image © iwan baan
the wooden screens are another abstracted reference to chinese gardens
image © iwan baan
project info:
location: yangzhou, jiangsu province, chinaarchitects: zhang lei / azl architectsproject team: zhang lei, shen kaikang, yang hefengcollaborator: yangzhou city planning & design instituteproject area: 1900 sqm
