'digital' skin clads undulating timber structure in china community center

shanghai-based firm challenge design completes the multi-purpose ‘yuanlu community center’ in chongqing, china. the project, sited near the ancient town of longxing, faces the yulin river and mirrors distant rolling hills. as a response to the topography of the site the project is divided between three buildings, organized side by side along the slope resulting in sequential interstitial courtyards. the center offers such functions as an exhibition hall, book bar, swimming pool, and cafe — each building is scaled according to its program.

image by prism images

while each building takes on a linear organization, challenge design introduces a rich spatial character with sectional deformations. the resulting quality is that of a twisted box comprised of dynamic serial sections, expressed through the exposed interior wood structure. challenge design curates a fluid circulation between the three buildings by linking each space organically with corridors and courtyards.

image by prism images

challenge design utilizes materiality in the pursuit to demonstrate the ‘philosophy of authenticity’ in architecture, space, form and structure. the firm makes use of timber to closely link the structure with both the space and surroundings, thus giving the architecture itself a ‘virtue of honesty.’ exposed ‘glulam’ members serve as the crucial visual element for the wooden structures. this expression references the typical sloped roofs found throughout chongqing. the buildings’ exteriors are clad in hexagonal aluminum plates which adapt easily to the gently warping surfaces. each aluminum plate is finely wrapped, slotted, and spliced. challenge design notes that the resulting skin suggests a digital, cyberpunk quality which takes on mysterious visual effects as the light changes.

image by prism images