Founded two years ago, Z-ONE Architects explores creative solutions across diverse sectors such as culture, media, technology, and the internet to better define the future of spatial design. This large-scale project, located in the agricultural park of Nantong, a city in the coastal province of Jiangsu, China, is a prime example. This complex of three buildings (a tourist service center, an exhibition hall, and amenities), situated in the park's entrance area, is designed to welcome visitors.
To achieve this, the architecture studio began by designing a transition between the urban and rural experience, while embodying the emerging style of contemporary architecture. Seen from above, the service center, a blend of steel and wood, resembles a flower with its petals. It comprises five spaces (library, exhibition, study, restaurant, and a multifunctional room for various activities), all bathed in natural light from skylights. But it is the "rural life" exhibition hall, conceived within a spatial structure of membranes, that truly captures attention with its immaculate whiteness. The long, curved horizontal windows allow the interior space to be both separate from and integrated into the river landscape. Its form, texture, and gentle lines reflect the theme and morphology of the entire park, thus completing the success of this complex, which stands out from the Chinese urban landscape.
BIANLIN
Nathalie Dassa
