On the north side of Chaohu city, which stretches for tens of kilometres from the northeast to the southwest, the OCT Chaohu Natural and Cultural Center, designed by Change Architects, is situated at the juncture between the natural mountains and the city. The structure serves as a significant landmark interlinking indigenous cultural heritage and future urban lifestyles.
The building form derives from nature, taking inspiration from wormholes and mountains. The program intersperses an array of restaurants and performance spaces with sizable openings that offer views of the beautiful landscape. These openings form skylights and courtyards where the sunken sections of the open-air theatre act as informal areas for performances.
The design billows on the surface between a small water body and a path, seamlessly incorporating walkways, viewing decks and green mounds. The winding paths offer several access points to the restaurant, from which guests can either descend into a lounge area or ascend to the dining area.
The structure comprises a steel frame covered with in situ poured concrete, layered with various anti-skid finishes and a green roof that merges with the surrounding landscape. The in-situ concrete poured roof and GRC hanging board are combined at the top and bottom of the structural layer, respectively.
The restaurant features a completely glazed wall providing views of the small lake. At night, the reflection of the structure in the lake poses the ultimate coalescence of architecture and nature.
As a result, the structure claims to integrate localization, physical landform, and adjoining regions in addition to its focus on entire monolithic architecture, providing an authentic spatial effect defined by nature, harmony, and robustness.
