Project description by MAD Architects
MAD Architects unveiled the design of the Nanhai Art Center in Foshan City, Guangdong, which covers a total area of 59,445 square meters and includes three main functions: the Grand Theatre, the Museum and the Sports Center. When completed, it will provide the citizens of Guangzhou and Foshan with a new public entrance on the waterfront, harmonizing social, creative and natural attributes.
The development is located in the Nanhai Cultural District, the heart of the Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a major urban site linking the cities of Guangzhou and Foshan. Ma Yansong, the founding partner of MAD, was once a participating artist at the Nanhai Art Field (the largest land art festival in Foshan city), said:
“The traditional culture of Nanhai is in the rhythm of drums and the drift of boats during the dragon festival boat race and in kung-fu in the lion dance. By observing them, you can feel the dynamic, vibrant and innovative spirit from ancient times to today. “We want to bring it back to modern life here.”
The Nanhai Art Center resembles a continuous wave of water, with three main buildings peeking out from under the floating canopy. The semi-open air merges the central lake landscape with the programs, inviting local communities to immerse themselves in the coastal landscape.
Nanhai Art Center by MAD Architects. Courtesy of MAD Architects.
“The local culture of southern Guangdong always focuses on people gathering. To maintain the same lifestyle, contemporary cultural places must contribute to it. The design of the Nanhai Art Center seeks to provide maximum gray spaces for such activities. “It is also inspired by the large eaves of the traditional architecture of Lingnan (ancient wider area of Guangdong).”
Ma Yansong.
The design aims to build a spiritual field by creating a coherent visual axis towards the lake. Programs are planned on both sides of the central axis. The total area of the Grand Theater and Museum is about 89,269 square meters on one side of the central axis, of which the Grand Theater includes a 1,500-seat amphitheater and a 600-seat multipurpose hall, for a variety of performances and conferences. The Museum will meet national museum standards upon completion.
On the other side of the site is the Sports Center, with a gross area of about 32,006 square meters that contains swimming pools, basketball courts, badminton courts and other types of sports spaces and facilities.
Nanhai Art Center by MAD Architects. Courtesy of MAD Architects.
The permeable facades allow nature to flow through the site back into the city. The two-story landscape platform extends outward, organically linking the central lake, riverfront park and urban space, achieving a harmonious balance between nature and architecture.
The commercial spaces are located along the lake, radiating architectural texture to the lakeside landscape belt. Cultural spaces are interspersed. Second-floor observation decks and open-air patios connect three main functions, also with retail and food and beverage space below to complete visitor experiences and circular circulation. The upper part of the platform serves as a pedestrian space leading to the entrances to the cultural spaces.
Sustainability and green carbon reduction are fully integrated into the design concept from the beginning and form a narrative of construction technology and innovation. Under the translucent white ETFE membrane structure cover, the Nanhai Arts Center incorporates energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies, including photovoltaic power generation, rainwater harvesting and vertical green systems.
Construction of the Nanhai Arts Center is scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed in 2029.
2024-01-04 15:33:38
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