TEAM_BLDG turns a public bath into a 'residence for buddha' in xiamen, china

in the chinese city of xiamen, TEAM_BLDG has created a new studio and exhibition space called ‘the field’. the project is located at the site of a former aluminum factory in huli district and this building was originally a public bath of the factory. transformed to display jiangjiaban buddha statues, the design focuses on creating a spiritual place and a ‘residence’ for buddha. 

the building consists of three blocks, arranged south to north, shaping a rhythmic stepped form

images by jonathan leijonhufvud

following discussions with the client, TEAM_BLDG resolved to create a ‘hidden and even invisible architecture’. the form of the old building is still visible but a lot of the windows on the main façades have been blocked up, resulting in a solid, monolithic appearance. to the east side of one volume there is a large magnolia tree that guides visitors inside and connects the stacked volumes. the elevations are painted with the same sandalwood yellow as the interior, and the special texture of the wall was hand-painted by the workers.

after the renovation, the magnolia tree is like a dharma-vessel of the ‘the field’

inside, the design team has cleverly used natural light to create diverse spatial experiences. they added 31 skylights on the roof, either round or square, grouped or isolated, to highlight the buddha statues. in the dark room, a stream of light serves as a spotlight while in the double-height main hall, 28 circular skylights create a stunning ‘rain of light’. 

the renovation of the windows and doors alongside the street façade encloses the internal spaces, adding a bit of intrigue to the architecture

the magnolia tree was preserved throughout the design and construction process, and it now serves as a landmark for the entire project. according to TEAM_BLDG, the tree is like a ‘dharma-vessel’ of the project. in one corner of the main exhibition hall, a spiral staircase leads upwards to a roof terrace, where the magnolia tree is close enough to touch, and the fragrance of leaves and flowers welcomes you.

the architects rearranged and simplified the exterior of the building, making part of the volume solid

the roof terrace

an outdoor staircase was added to a corner of the terrace to connect the different volumes

the entrance under the magnolia tree

rain of light

the dark room

the skylight in the dark room

the buddha statues in the dark room are made of transparent materials such as glaze and jade

the building is a ‘residence’ for buddha in the mundane world

project info:

project name: the field

function: exhibition, office & retail

location: xiamen, fujian, china

architecture firm: TEAM_BLDG

architects: xiao lei, yang yuqiong, lin wenjun, wang han

building area: 9,063 ft2 (842 m2)

design period: 2019.11-2020.02

construction period: 2020.02-2020.06

status: completed

photography: jonathan leijonhufvud

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom