Excerpt: The Fashion Center of CTC, an exhibition space by WAU Design, blends inside and outside spaces as a whole, aiming to simplify the space typology. The key feature of the design is a public ring around the fashion show area, which incorporates new functions. The ring, supported by tiled columns, creates a floating effect and better connection to the landscape. Each opening points to site attractions, offering a variable viewpoint from inside.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The site is located in a CBD public square in Keqiao. The traditional textile and dyeing industry has been replaced by the Creative Fashion Industry. Based on this traditional industrial reformation, the original commission is to design a space for fashion show, wedding and exhibition which fits with the new industry in Keqiao.
As a place for holding events, the architectural space is manipulated by a specific time schedule and too enclosed as a public area. In terms of the frequency, the project would bring more maintenance cost and create a very negative space in daily time. Therefore, the project proposed an extra public ring around the fashion show area, which brings more daily events to the site. The extra space includes a permanent exhibition room, educating and fashion design workshop. By inserting new functions, the public area creates a connection between the fashion market, public citizens and landscape and creates a more dynamic urban space in Keqiao.
The outer ring is supported by tiled columns and hangs over, which creates a sense of “floating” with better connection to the surrounding landscape. Each opening points to specific site attractions and creates a variable viewpoint from inside. The one fold material also simplifies the architectural space and composes the inside and outside as a whole.
The central ring space is the main event area for fashion shows, weddings and exhibitions that opens at a certain time. The space is composed of two rings that are divided by a tilted shear wall. The outer ring of daily events is placed on the third and fourth floor and leaves the second floor open to the public. Several walls are removed to create courtyards and increase the permeability for better natural lighting and ventilation. The inner events space is lower than the public square which gives more interior ceiling height and allows an open and infinite sense of space.
The serving space such as the utility room is located under the raised platform. It also provides an independent entrance for logistics. The typical arrangement of public and private space allows the building to adapt to different uses in a certain time. The main fashion show area is constructed with radiated truss structure and load-bearing wall. All the utility equipment is hidden inside the circular wall and interprets the architecture’s pureness.
The strategy to compose inside and outside space as a whole was applied in our previous projects in Wuchuan Industrial Valley. This project is a simplified version of this space typology and we are hoping to have a better experience after all the plants are moved in the space. Due to the restriction of construction, the attempt to expose the structure failed as the original reinforced concrete texture is painted with white cement. After negotiating with the client, the finishing would be removed to expose the concrete texture this summer and we are expecting to see what the space would be like.
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