‘fake hills’ by MAD architects is well underway and set to sculpt the chinese coastline. the complex plays to the the vast majority of development of residential housing in china’s new cities; while often chinese urban developments are standardized and low-cost to guarantee a quick return for investment, ‘fake hills’ proves it possible to build high-density, economically viable housing that is also architecturally considered.

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
the undulating form reshapes the waterfront
image © MAD architects (also main image)

 

 

MAD’s place-making development is located on the coastal city of beihai, in the south of china, on a 800 meter long, narrow oceanfront site. the fundamental geometry of the scheme combines two common yet opposite architecture typologies, the high rise and groundscraper. the result is a hilly form that dramatically undulates and shapes the waterfront.

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
the high-density housing creates a network of habitable elevations 
image © MAD architects

 

 

the aperture-ridden, thickened curves maximize potential views for the residents, while a the continuous platform along the roof becomes the public places replete with gardens, tennis courts and swimming pools on top of the synthetic hills. construction views show the mass of the building starting to create a distinct mark in the landscape, despite the presence of complex networks of scaffolding.

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © MAD architects

 

 

while now, gaps for windows and ambulatory paths are shrouded with construction tyvek, each opening is expertly composed to allows the sea breezes to pass through and create ocean views from interior spaces. aiming for a high-density solution and a new landmark for the city, fake hills provides a heightened experience of the coastline and an opportunity for unhindered interaction with the city. see designboom’s previous coverage here. 

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © MAD architects

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © arnoud martens

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © tonis kimmel

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © tonis kimmel

fake hills by MAD architects under construction
fake hills by MAD architects under construction
image © tonis kimmel

 

 

project info:

 

location: beihai, china
typology: residential apartment
site area: 109,203sqm
building area: 492,369sqm
building height: groundscraper-106m; tower-194m
directors: ma yansong, qun dang
design team: xue yan, xu dongxin, wang wei, tang liu, zhang jie, ren xiaowei, kristie park, dinah zhang, fernie lai,  fu changri, zheng tao
associate engineers: jiang architects & engineers (jae)
structural engineers:  jiang architects & engineers (jae)
mechanical engineer:  jiang architects & engineers (jae)

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