UNStudio completes the keppel cove marina & clubhouse in china

UNStudio’s keppel cove marina and clubhouse sits on the banks of the river xi, in zhongshan, china, with a shape that resembles the experience of being on a yacht. carried out by the studio‘s asian office, the project comprises a 50,000 sq-meter masterplan that includes a marina with direct access to the river, the clubhouse, a service building, high-end residential villas, and supporting infrastructure.

header video and photos © tom roe 

UNStudio has designed the marina clubhouse in the shape of a yacht, with the purpose to offer both a tranquil environment for people to relax in, and an exciting set of facilities for people to escape to and explore. placed at the heart of the development, the clubhouse stands out both from the land side, with a sculptural landscape forming as one approaches its main entrance, and from the water side where a distinct facade casting a shimmering reflection welcomes seafarers in the marina. its shape is developed around the main access routes to the building, while spaces radiate outwards in an organic fan shape that takes advantage of the marina view. various plateaus and view points in the surrounding landscape allow the public to enjoy the river without disturbing the privacy of exclusive users or residents.

transforming the notion of the building from an obstacle to a permeable layer, large ‘funnel’ spaces cut through the building to offer an alternative circulation path that does not interfere with the program, and as such aids in organizing the interior spaces. ‘the way the wind is guided through the building in order to cool down the interior is also metaphorically articulated in the design,’ mentions ben van berkel, UNStudio founder, ‘within the internal wind funnels, it is almost as though you can see the wind swirling around within the architecture that surrounds you.’ besides enabling views through the entire building and towards the water, the funnels allow for a constant gentle breeze, which, in warmer periods, helps to cool spaces by means of natural cross ventilation.

both the clubhouse exterior and interior allude to the colors, materials, and craftsmanship found in contemporary speed boats and yachts. the facade consists of bronze-colored aluminum panels, and on the waterfront, it is glazed with glass fins for structural support. several balconies protrude from its surface to provide view points, clad with mirror finishes that resemble sparkling reflections on the water’s surface. in the interior, wood-paneling finishes reference the luxury yachts that are moored nearby, while plenty of natural light entering through a large skylight creates a comfortable atmosphere.

project info: 

architecture: UNStudio, ben van berkel, hannes pfau

client: Sunsea Yacht Club (Zhongshan) Co.,Ltd (owned by Keppel Land China until 2017 then Logan Properties)

project team: gordana jakimovska, joerg lonkwitz, adriana rodriguez ossio, alexander schramm, alice yi-ting chiu, iris pastor, caroline filice smith, jean chaussavoine, jun wang, irina bogdan, leo xinyu li, gilles greis, alexander meyers, sam jia jun ren, tamim salah ei negm, evan jon shieh, rafael carbonero vicario

team members in different project phases: alan chin-che hung, fernie lai, maya alam, cristina gimenez, juergen heinzel, yeojoon yoon, yu-chen liu, dan luo, edwin hang jiang, yichi zhang, fabian alejandr mazzola, daniele de benedictis, yuwei wang, alberto martinez garcia, huaiming liao, ana patricia castaingts gomez, oliver loesser, craig yan, guomin lin, nathan melenbrink, duran yuan zhai, margaret juien-hwang, cecilia hui, earn lee chern, lukas allner, justin tao cheng, severin ignaz tuerk, yuwei wang

advisors: P&T (structure), hyder (facade), B+H (landscape), squiremech (MEP), lighting images (lighting), thyssen (lifts), earth in mind (green energy), AECOM (bridge structure)