Mathieu Forest Architecte and Zone of Utopia join forces to reveal the multifaceted nature of ice architecture. Based in Paris, the two studios have created an "urban indicator" for the cultural tourism center in Xinxiang, China, to federate this new tourist district that will be dedicated to winter sports. More than a building, Ice Cubes, to be constructed in 2021, takes on the appearance of a monumental sculpture. The nine ice cubes, each 17 m high, are superimposed and deliberately offset. The glazed texture is made of tangled translucent ice crystals that filter light and vision into the interior. Patterned glass and steel create this opaque appearance, also allowing the building to change hue: immaculate white in sunlight, vaporous on cloudy days, frosted in certain lights. The architects also use the metaphor of water, from the liquid of a lake to the solid body of ice, via the nebulous, diaphanous atmosphere of the landscape. The Ice Cubes center thus defines itself as "a place of pleasure and contemplation", coupled with "a visual experience", as its appearance changes depending on where the visitor is. A singular architectural concept, culminating in a "Sky Lounge" offering a 360° view.
Nathalie Dassa
