Most towns in China have a long historical evolution. Over the long years, they have precipitated unique regional cultures and formed their own living rhythms and spatial orders. However, with the rapid advancement of modernization, the appearance of many towns has gradually become homogeneous, and those originally distinct cultural characteristics have been diluted and obscured in the monotonous construction. How to reawaken the cultural memory of towns in the contemporary context, and how to inject a unique spiritual temperament into ordinary towns through architectural language, have become important propositions facing architects today.
Located in Wuxing District of Huzhou, Daixi Town lies at the transitional zone between the Tianmu Mountains and the Hangjiahu Plain. Endowed with both the grandeur of the Tianmu Mountains and the elegance of Taihu Lake, it is a typical Jiangnan town. In recent decades, it has shifted from a traditional agriculture-dominated economy to a characteristic beauty industry. The new industry has driven the rapid transformation and development of the region, and with economic growth, the urban landscape has also taken on a new look. However, like many towns in China, the upgraded urban area lacks distinctive local features and recognizability, and supporting facilities for public life have long been absent. In 2020, the government allocated a plot in the center of the town to plan and build a comprehensive public building integrating culture, sports and commerce, aiming to provide cultural and sports supporting facilities for the whole town and inject new cultural vitality into this ordinary town through a publicly accessible building with artistic appeal. The proposed plot is surrounded by two nearby schools, divided by a north-south river, with a rectangular shape in the east and an irregular extension along the river in the west. An ancient stone bridge from the Qing Dynasty still stands on the river, quietly witnessing the vicissitudes of this small town.
Traditional architectural design often takes function as the primary consideration, and "form follows function" has become an iron law of modern architecture. However, when a building is situated in an urban environment with increasingly blurred cultural characteristics, pure functionalism is obviously insufficient to respond to the call of the times. We attempt to break free from the constraints of traditional architectural approaches in this project; on the basis of meeting functional needs, we shape the building as a work of land art with strong artistic appeal.
From this, the concept of "Abstract Landscape" was born. Chinese landscape painting emphasizes "intent before brushwork" and pursues "spiritual resemblance" rather than "physical resemblance". Painters outline the charm of mountains and rivers with concise brushstrokes, while viewers spread their wings of imagination between the blank spaces and ink rhymes. We try to translate the essence of this oriental aesthetics into architectural language, echoing the natural imagery of distant mountains and nearby waters with abstract geometric forms, and creating a poetic spatial atmosphere through pure color contrast.
The building unfolds along both banks of the river: the commercial center is located on the west bank, and the culture and sports center on the east bank. The two groups of buildings present distinct geometric forms — sloping roofs, scattered volumes, and pure facades, like abstract sculptures growing out of the earth. The white and orange-red buildings form a strong visual contrast under the blue sky, which is not only a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Jiangnan style of white walls and black tiles, but also an architectural interpretation of the color aesthetics of land art.
A winding Qushui Pedestrian Corridor serves as the key element connecting the buildings on both banks. More than just a functional transportation link, this corridor is also a spatial poem of art. Like a floating ribbon, it spans the river gracefully, organically connecting commerce and culture, movement and stillness, noise and tranquility.
The design of the corridor continues the theme of "Abstract Landscape". Its curved form is derived from the natural rhythm of flowing water, seeking a balance between geometric precision and natural freedom. Walking through it, people's sight is guided in different directions — either the architectural outline on the opposite bank, the gurgling water underfoot, or the distant skyline. This spatial experience is like appreciating a long scroll of Chinese landscape painting, where the scenery changes with each step, and every view forms a picture.
More importantly, this corridor establishes the possibility of dialogue between two distinct functional areas. The commercial center carries the fireworks of daily life, while the culture and sports center undertakes the noble pursuit of spiritual life. The existence of the corridor makes these two life scenes no longer isolated from each other, but forms an organic complementarity and interaction. People can stroll to the library for reading after shopping, or conveniently enjoy commercial services after exercising. This mixture and interweaving of functions is an important feature of contemporary urban public spaces.
The significance of architecture lies not only in meeting functional needs, but also in shaping the spirit of place. Excellent urban public architectural design must adhere to the principle of "locality" — the so-called locality is not a simple pile-up of cultural symbols, but a profound understanding and accurate response to the regional natural context, cultural context and lifestyle. For a town with a long history but an ordinary appearance, a landmark public building can become an important medium to enhance the cultural characteristics and recognizability of the entire region. The completion of Daixi Culture, Sports and Commercial Complex has brought an unprecedented visual focus and cultural landmark to Daixi Town.
From a distance, those sloping geometric blocks resemble the silhouette of abstract mountains; the winding corridor, like a flowing stream, connects the "mountains" into a complete picture scroll. This architectural expression of "Abstract Landscape" is not only rooted in the profound soil of traditional Chinese landscape culture, but also reinterpreted with contemporary artistic language. It is neither a simple imitation of traditional architecture nor a rigid transplantation of Western modernism, but an exploration based on the local context and facing the future.
The color selection of the building has also been carefully considered. White symbolizes the traditional white walls of Jiangnan architecture, pure and elegant; orange-red is like the gorgeous colors of mountain forests in autumn, warm and enthusiastic. The interweaving of the two colors not only forms a strong visual impact, but also maintains a harmonious sense of wholeness. When sunlight falls on the building facade, the changes of light and shadow endow the building with a sense of time, making it show different expressions at different times of the day.
Ultimately, architecture exists for human activities. No matter how innovative the form or advanced the concept, if it cannot provide people with a comfortable and pleasant user experience, it loses the fundamental value of architecture. While pursuing artistic expression, Daixi Culture, Sports and Commercial Complex always puts human experience at the core of the design.
The internal space of the commercial center is flexible and open, adapting to the needs of various commercial formats. The sloping roof not only shapes a unique external image, but also creates rich spatial layers inside. The culture and sports center is equipped with various functional facilities such as a swimming pool, a gym and a basketball court, providing complete cultural and sports services for the town's residents.
The design of outdoor spaces is also carefully considered. Walking paths and rest platforms are set along the riverbank, where people can enjoy the river view and interact with each other. The corridor is not only a passage for circulation, but also a viewing point and a resting place. The organic integration of architecture and landscape creates a pleasant place atmosphere, making it an indispensable part of the daily life of the town's residents.
Architecture is the material carrier of human civilization and the image expression of the spirit of the times. The Daixi Culture, Sports and Commercial Complex project is a practice for us to explore the path of "new yet Chinese" architecture in the contemporary context. We attempt to respond to the traditional landscape culture with abstract artistic language and realize the poetic spatial ideal with contemporary architectural technology.
When the building was completed, we felt deeply gratified to see people strolling on the corridor, resting in the square and reading in the library. The value of architecture is ultimately realized through human use, and those originally abstract forms become vivid and warm because of human activities. This is perhaps the most essential significance of architecture — it is not only a material shelter, but also a spiritual habitat; not only a container of functions, but also a stage for life.
The "Abstract Landscape" of Daixi Town is a contemporary scroll painted with architecture. It carries our thoughts on the relationship between tradition and modernity, art and function, individual and community, and also embodies our beautiful expectations for the future urban life. May this scroll become more charming in the long river of time, and may this ordinary town have a more distinctive cultural identity because of this building. We also hope that through our design practice, this town with a long history and warmth can have its own "cultural landmark" and "land sculpture", turning the abstract artistic conception of mountains and rivers into a concrete urban scenery and artistic feast, allowing every resident to encounter poetry and distant places, art and beauty in their hometown.
