trace architecture office's zigzag building frames unfolding views of the seaside

a public leisure spot on the yellow sea

trace architecture office (TAO) completes its ‘seaside zigzag building’ along a bay in rongcheng, shandong province. the coastal site is surrounded by land on three sides and opens to the yellow sea on the north. nestled into the the sandy shoreline between the village and the water, the project introduces a place for both locals and tourists to rest and relax while visiting the leisure spot. 

images © chen hao | @chenhao.etsam

trace architecture office’s framed views

as the seaside zigzag building by trace architecture office (TAO) (see more here) meanders along the coastline, it seems to be squeezed by the landscape. this ‘squeezing’ gesture lends its zigzag posture. the volume thus gazes toward different directions of the sea, and creates views which cinematically unfold as the visitor walks the length of the building. meanwhile, a series of micro-courtyards is informed by the changing topography, enriching the spatial hierarchy between the scattered villages and the vast sea.

emerging gradually from the landscape

stretching 160 meters (525 feet), the façade of TAO’s seaside zigzag building expresses a rhythmically fluctuating density. the structure is embedded into the earth at its western end, visually dissolving and becoming an extension of the landscape. as the terrain slopes from west to east, the building gradually emerges. at the highest point of the ground, the accessible roof becomes an extension of the sidewalk and a viewing platform. meandering surfaces blur the boundaries and distances, as if it can extend to infinity. with varying heights, the platform presents visitors with a final, panoramic view.

the team at trace architecture office made use of light concrete to form a volume that is heavy, and solid. baths, a café, restaurants, and other programs are hidden inside. the voids between the volumes becomes the semi-outdoor public spaces. from the bath to the restaurant, the plan layout changes from private to open, and the proportion of solid and void also changes accordingly.

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project info:

project title: seaside zigzag house

architecture: trace architecture office (TAO) | | @taoarchitects

location: rongcheng, shandong province, china

client: rongcheng good luck corner tourism resort construction bureau
program: baths, café, restaurant
principal architect: hua li
design team: hua li, liu yu, wang langhuan, wu yongyi, dai linyi, li ruoxin, xie yicheng, feng zhenhui
structural consultant: ma zhigang, zhao xiaolei
MEP consultant: LV jianjun and kcalin design group: sun jing, lii xin, zhao zirui
lighting consultant: z design and planning
construction team: weihai construction group co.,ltd
structural system: shear wall structure
completion: 2021
photography: chen hao | @chenhao.etsam