Display Center of Royal Time

Brief The project is located in Suzhou, China. The owner of the project hopes that the display center can convey the same allure as the classical traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou, meanwhile the façade be informative and impressive, and that the layout and functions conforms to the personality of the younger generation. The overall design emphasizes the visitor’s experience of the space on site, especially when it conveys the fluid circulation of different spaces as experienced in traditional classical gardens in Suzhou. The display center consists of three separate functional buildings with an open area enclosed in the middle. It looks like three independent glass boxes of different shapes and sizes are beautifully scattered on the site. And different kinds of “transitional spaces” connect them all to form a modern courtyard which will become a spot where residents in the future can stay, socialize and communicate. Challenge & Solution How to let the project convey the inward temperament of traditional Suzhou architecture while the façade still remaining modern and impressive are the major challenge. The architect utilizes semi-transparent U-profile glass as the façade of the entrance, resembling suzhou's Ru porcelain, welcoming the visitors who appreciate it. How to organically linking the three different buildings (Showroom, fitness club, book-bar) is another challenge in the process of design. Now the introduction of a waterscape within the inner courtyard creates a fluid experience for visitors and also makes the whole space filled with richness and flexibility. All the buildings extend from the inner courtyard. The rain corridors are sometimes open, sometimes closed, and sometimes become paths leading into the inner courtyard, or into the transitional spaces. The visitor can simultaneously experience the private interior, the open exterior, and being part of the nature in this open community. Three different buildings use three different roof structures, namely, flat roof, single-sloped roof, and double-sloped roof, with varying heights, are used to achieve a richer visual effect. The main landscape surfaces of the three buildings all face to the inner courtyard. However, different architectural forms combined with the use of panels of glass with different sizes offers a unique visual experience. As young and modern people are the major residents in the community, the owner of the project wishes to create a quiet and pleasant space for them, thus the viral book-bar was created. The book-bar also uses large panels of U-profile glass(with each panel of 7.6-meter height) as the façade which is very eye-catching and soothing from any side, wherever the visitor comes in. The spaces between the bricks at the bottom of the building gradually decrease from the middle outwards, forming a distinct rhythm and echoing the fantastical elements of the translucent glass above. The overall effect enriches the architectural language of the building. From the inside, these gaps become windows for the reader, offering a view of the outside. At night, light shines through the perforated wall, putting up a play of light and shadow. A sunshine terrace was specifically created on the second floor, making full use of the vertical space to increase the richness and flexibility of the space.