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Architects: YIIIE Architects
- Area: 52 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Jialing Li
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Lead Architects: Tang Zhang
Text description provided by the architects. CPI W-18b is a newly built lakeside building located in the CPI commercial complex in Luxe Lake, Chengdu. It serves as a display space for water activity equipment, jointly operated by Badmarket and MRS.
The owner proposed that the architectural design should better facilitate sustainable development in the commercial context and respond to public demands. Hence, we took this opportunity to discuss the relationship between commercial spaces and public spaces (publicity) and the issue of sustainability.
1) Public Space (Publicity):
CPI connects scattered independent units through a collection of "public spaces." The community provides public spaces, and we believe that commercial units should also bear part of the public responsibility. If each unit strictly guards its boundaries, the community will consist of disjointed, unrelated, and even opposing segments.
Therefore, we actively open up to the surroundings, forming new usage scenarios with the outside world, supporting and participating in public activities. By creating height differences, we ensure that the interior and exterior are undisturbed, maintaining operational scenarios while keeping open and interactive. We extend or enclose spaces that interact with nature. A net is installed around the entrance's large tree, allowing fallen leaves to create a transitional gray space, paired with a bar counter to support activities in this area.
2) Light Structure Materials, Heavy Spatial Forms
To liberate the space more, we adopted a strategy of using light structural materials and heavy spatial forms. The use of lightweight industrial materials achieves low cost, quick construction, energy efficiency, and a friendly community atmosphere with wooden beams and columns.
3) Sustainability:
We aim to create buildings that can perceive the present and adapt to changes.
The fallen leaves on the net become part of the process and materials, and the building's exterior changes with the seasons. The paving stones extend from outdoors to indoors, bringing soil and small flowers and plants inside. The facade is a multi-layer structure; the outer layer's transparent mesh achieves eco-friendly energy savings when temperatures are appropriate, while the inner layer's sliding glass doors provide insulation and security.
Conclusion
All forms of commerce have a certain public space attribute, and public spaces also support commercial activities. They are mutually beneficial. "Is the birth of urban public space invented or negotiated?" Negotiation is a process of give and take, and sustainability is also a form of adaptive change.
