Floating Glass Box: Wenzhou Xialao Future Community Urban Gallery | 9M Design

Located in Wenzhou, China, the project is one of the second batches of future community pilot projects. After the demonstration period, it will continue to be used as a permanent urban exhibition area hall of the whole area.

As an exhibition architecture, the space is required to be as free, continuous, and high as possible. Limited by the requirement of the 2000㎡ gross land area and the 30% floor area ratio, the floor area of the first floor could only be 600㎡ at most, which is quite big a gap with 1000㎡ continuous spaces for each floor that we hope for.

To solve the problems of the land use restriction, our team has to switch to another plan. We began to consider placing the exhibition space on the second floor and above, suspended in the air, while the first floor is only used as a lobby and transportation area. This will solve the problem of restriction as well as keep the continuous exhibition space.

With the brand-new scheme set, the choice of the structural system becomes a pivotal part of the design. Through many discussions and deductions between structural designers and architects, the structural system adopted is as follows: The reinforced concrete core tube is used as the supporting body. A 3m-high steel truss is used as a large-scale cantilever. The two-story exhibition space is suspended by a hanging column. The regular compression column is reformed into a new tension rod, with a very light and delicate section. This innovative structural system enables the idea of a suspended exhibition hall to be realized.

The truss hanging technology makes the massing of the building look light. High-tech style architectural skin is used as the representation of the function and temperament of the building: A double-high continuous glass wall is used at the exhibition part, and the size of its rods is designed to be hidden, which makes the building appear crystal clear. The base and ceiling are covered with staggered stitched matte composite aluminum panels, which are integrated with the upper exhibition hall. The triangular entrance glows with shimmer, combined with the escalator that points to the air exhibition hall, creating a sense of mystery. Beneath the suspended exhibition hall are gardens and waterscapes for civic activities. Residents often gather to rest and children play by the water.

Simple and exquisite buildings lie quietly by the river, witnessing the development of the city, and also showing the ambitions and expectations of this land for the future.