For three decades China has experienced rapid urbanization leading to homogenetic large scale cities and erasure of old cities and villages. In their design for the Zhuhai Cultural Arts Center MAD Architects attempts to create a contemporary answer to this question.
Yinkeng Village, within China’s Pearl River Delta, dates back more than a century to the Northern Song Dynasty. Before the competition for the cultural center began, the Zhuhai municipal government almost entirely demolished and relocated the village to make way for the new building. MAD Architects proposes to respect and keep the original layout of Yinkeng Village and place a large dome over it.
“Urban renewal in China, especially in historic districts, should be preserved, revived, and re-created, instead of being completely wiped out and rebuilt over.”
- Ma Yansong
The large and complex program is reorganized and arranged to fit the original village layout of small-scale block-like buildings with a surreal floating dome on top of it. As a symbol for preservation and renewal.
The membrane will remain open at the base to allow for entry from all directions. The membrane will be made out of translucent material that will appear like a layer of mist floating above the village.
