In just one year they have built a wonderful Chinese-Italian cultural pavilion in China, a symbol of the fusion of synergies between both cultures, honoring the Silk Road.
The culture of a country determines its historical future. Denying the past and succumbing to the future leaves us in a situation of insecurity, that of being able to repeat the mistakes or, even worse, not improve the successes. Thus, any action that helps us keep cultural memory fresh should be welcomed; especially if it is positive, or even if this culture comes from another country.
Of course, one of the cultures that has marked the future of the world has been the Roman, from which we have adopted several of its magnificent achievements, such as Roman Law or Latin. However, what has made the greatest impact on the international level of Roman culture has been its architecture, a durable and innovative way of building that continues to inspire a large number of professionals today.
A cultural hub that fuses Italy and China
Beijing-based aoe architects has created an inspiring hub for cultural exchange between China and Italy. Its construction began last year and has already been completed, becoming one more constructive feat of the Asian giant.
However, its execution has not been advertised in specialized magazines, nor has it occupied minutes on television news, which is why today at The Luxonomist we show it to you.
This cultural center, located about 36 kilometers from the historic city center of Chengdu, was meant to showcase the fusion of Italian and Chinese cultures. To do this, the professionals placed a large group of ancient Roman arches and domes, using a modern design, with fine lines and perfect recesses. All this to create each of the spaces necessary for a pavilion of this type: exhibition, meeting, reception and catering rooms.
The building recovers the constructions and forms of the Roman Empire in China
From the air it looks like neither a new construction nor an old building; it does not pretend to be a ruin, but its multiple circular and open facets cast doubt on its antiquity. The diffuse mixture of impressions conceives this building as a very fun center, architecturally speaking, and, at the same time, welcoming and mimetic with the surrounding nature.
The careful use of white in all its exterior walls adds a three-dimensional effect when the sun bathes the building. To this we must add its different variations in height, which are born from the inertia of the topography of the place, and the dispositions of its circles and arches, which mean that the same building is not seen twice during the same day.
An old construction, but with modern techniques
The interior area is not exempt from the use of natural light. It has large exterior porticoes and a transparent membrane executed with glass, which allows solar immersion to affect the location of the internal elements of the building, and can create spaces, also full of arches and domes, without much meaning without the star king dancing freely.
The aoe architects team, led by Qun Wen, has taken into account both environmental and design parameters, using essential materials for a fast, durable and respectful execution of its surroundings. In other words: low-e glass, local wood and green or landscaped roofs, which reduce the energy consumption of the building.
The Italian and Chinese areas are joined at the cultural center by a lake
The complex is divided into two. On the one hand, the Italian pavilion, dominated by Piazza Italia, where a simulacrum of ruins presides over a circular plaza in memory of its Italian namesake. And on the other, the Chinese pavilion, which is located at the other end of the plot of almost 18,000 square meters. Both buildings are linked by a side path and by an artificial lake, with a path inside, made up of circular jade platforms. These two roads represent the silk routes, land and sea.
In total, 2,106.70 square meters of culture, of which 1,695.80 belong to the Italian branch. The enclosure has 10 circular walls, which divide the spaces with spectacular simplicity, from the entrance to the last corner, although I don’t know if there will be any corner in the complex. Everything has to be said! Two circular skylights distribute light in the center, one of them as part of a beautifully fractured dome.
The center conforms to sustainability guidelines
The deck garden becomes the best possible space: green, tall and inviting. You couldn’t ask for more after a visit to the museum, or attending a conference in its multipurpose room. And yes, obviously, executing a similar building in Europe seems surreal, but in China they dare with everything, so, like it or not, it is an ideal place for the experiment.
After all, architecture is just that, experimenting, creating and squandering the previous conditions. Also breaking schemes, obviously, but with the express conditions that follow: improve people’s lives, respect the environment, as well as carry out intelligent management of the economic resources that fall into our hands. Would you like to have a Roman Piazza in your town hall, library or cultural center?
*Photos courtesy of Arch-exist