“Building a Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre contract goes to PES-Architects.” They won the project in 2013 after entering into an international competition.
This art center was going to be built in a Fuzhou city of China – the fastest-growing metropolitan city of the world. It is the center of attraction for many tourists. The whole project is spread across 150,000 square meters of area.
Let’s have an overview of the project,
Name: Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre
Architects: PES-Architects
Year: 2014 – 2018
Location: Mawei New Town, Fuzhou, China
Type of Buildings: Opera house, Art Exhibition hall, Cinema Center, Concert hall, Multi-functional Theatre
PES-architects are known for their wonderful and eye-catchy structural design, and this project was no less. Here again, they have shown their inexplicable creative side.
The whole art center design is the result of inspiration from the jasmine flower, the floral symbol of the city. What else can give it a home-touch feeling!
The project included five buildings, terraces, linking concourses, and gardens to be integrated with the surrounding cultural elements like the Minjiang River and Mahangzhou island nature reserve.
The chief architect, Pekka Salminen came up with the idea of having five buildings in a complex, to make it easy for users to navigate the indoors and outdoors.
Jasmine Petals as Buildings’ Shape
With jasmine as an inspiration, the architects developed the petal design for five buildings. You won’t be able to notice that from the ground level, but when observed from the upper level, the influence is clearly seen.
LOPO terracotta panels were used as a cladding for building an opera house (1600 seats), multi-purpose theatre (700 seats), concert hall (1000-seats), an art museum, and a movie center.
Want to know why PES-architects, choose terracotta panels? Terracotta has been in this industry for a long time. You can consider them as the best material to use for cladding, along with a beautified look, it also provides robust and long-lasting safety measures to the building.
The most notable aspect of the Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre is the construction of the biggest steel grid shell area and shell body grid span in China. Overall, the steel used in the constructions weighs around 11.2 tons.
Ceramic as Chief Material
Another noticeable feature is the usage of white ceramic for cladding and providing shade to the building. The cohesive result is the buildings’ beautiful outlook of jasmine petals and the energy-efficient way of cooling the building.
The company, which provided the terracotta panels, also provided terracotta baguettes louvers to shade the buildings’ glass facade from the direct sunlight.
Ceramic was the project’s main material due to its historical significance and its design flexibility. The use of terracotta increased the durability of the building.
Architects were determined to use the louvers so attentively that they planned the computer script for its placement. This way, they were able to place the louvers where needed, with the precise angle as to provide the maximum shading and remove from the unnecessary spaces.
Last but not least, its Interiors
Not only facades but the interiors are also adorned with ceramics in Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre. It is also used in creating a great effect in the concourse adjacent to the marble and concrete reinforced by fiberglass. It doesn’t only uplift the entire interior, it also works as ventilation equipment.
The major use of ceramics is in the center of an opera house. The wall of the opera house is designed as a continuum, which is decorated with 13 different shapes and 1.5 million ceramic jasmine-petal-shaped tiles.
The concert hall is magnificent as well as the most functional part of the art center. The walls of the hall are on a large scale and composed of fractions of sphere surfaces, which makes it the functional seating area.
The multi-purpose hall can occupy 700 people, and the walls are cladded with solid CNC cut bamboo blocks, arranged in a needed way. The roof is equipped with flexible cables and lightings, which can be switched as per requirement.
The Sanctum in Amritsar, designed by Renesa Architecture Design Interiors Studio, stands as a rare architectural experiment in India. It is an attempt to reinvent the domestic typology through geometry, material, and spatial narrative. Spread over 12,000 sq ft on a generous 3 acres plot, the house positions itself as a contemporary meditation on permanence and […]
Mishti’s House by KD ASSOCIATE is a striking example of contemporary residential architecture that blends modern aesthetics with mindful design. The facade features a harmonious mix of exposed red brick, smooth white plaster, and wooden-toned vertical fins, creating depth and visual balance. A unique geometric lattice screen with a Buddha motif serves as both a […]
Our urban landscapes are undergoing a rapid transformation, pressured by burgeoning populations and increasing demands on city infrastructure. To address these escalating challenges, urban planners continually revise zoning regulations. In Delhi, for instance, a significant regulatory change introduced mandatory stilt parking on small urban lots with four habitable floors above. Gurugram, a satellite city, subsequently adopted […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]
The door design for main door is a defining feature of any Indian home, embodying both style and cultural significance. In a country rich with diverse architectural traditions, the entrance to your home reflects not only personal taste but also cultural heritage. Whether you’re drawn to the intricate carvings of traditional Indian door designs or […]
Pillar design is a cornerstone of architectural elegance, seamlessly blending structural support with aesthetic appeal. Our blog, “50 Best Pillar Design Inspirations,” celebrates this essential element, showcasing a variety of styles from classical Doric and Ionic to contemporary and avant-garde innovations. Whether you’re an architect, interior designer, or a design enthusiast, these pillar design inspirations […]