Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed its winning proposal for the Jinghe New City Culture And Art Center competition organized by Shaanxi Xixian New Area Jinghe New City Urban Construction Investment Co., Ltd. Located in the Jinghe Bay Academician Science & Technology Innovation district of Shaanxi Province in China, the city has been developing as a science and technology hub for new energy sources and materials, aerospace and artificial intelligence industries and also has new scientific research institutes for environmental considerations.
The planned Jinghe New City Culture & Art Center by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is sculpted to resemble the Shaanxi province’s naturally carved environment. The flowing shape of the design team is inspired by the meandering valleys carved over time by the Jinghe River, which flows through the mountains outside of the city. To link the new multimedia library to the north of Jinghe Avenue with the new performing arts theater, multi-function halls, workshops, and exhibition galleries to the south, the design incorporates the city’s existing urban strategy. Elevated courtyards, gardens, and walks connect all of these points above the eight lanes of traffic below. The project includes gently sloping ramps that provide access from the district’s high public walkway network. This entrance connects the area’s business and residential sections to the parks and river to the south, while also welcoming city inhabitants into the building’s center and offering direct access to a proposed metro station.
ZHA’s Jinghe center is organized as a stranded network of flowing volumes by its design team. These fluid layers and surfaces take the form of a variety of internal and external cultural and recreational areas, all accessible to the local community, as they open into courtyards and gardens. A full-height atrium is visible from the terrace, which houses a multimedia library. Diffusing skylights define a series of reading zones for both solitary and group study in this space. The library will combine print books with immersive virtual reality technology to broaden the scope of study and increase information sharing.
A performing arts theater will be built on the avenue’s south side, with seating for 450 people and the ability to adapt to a variety of applications and events. The multi-purpose hall, workshops, and galleries are stacked and positioned around the theater to create shared public spaces that promote accessibility and cross-disciplinary cooperation.
The architects aim to optimize the center’s natural ventilation and daylight with a solar irradiation analysis and responsive site planning — working within the mild temperate climate of Jinghe New City. The team will incorporate photovoltaic panels for power generation on-site, and will integrate a system of rainwater collection. Construction of the new center will prioritize locally-produced materials with high recycled content, ultimately aiming to achieve a 3-star certification in China’s Green Building program.
About The Project:
Project Title: Jinghe New City Culture & Art Center
Architecture: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Location: Jinghe New City, Shaanxi province, China
Status: Winning Competition Entry
Visualizations: ATCHAIN
About The Team:
Principal: Patrik Schumacher
Commercial Director: Charles Walker
Project Director: Satoshi Ohashi
Associate Director: Yang Jingwen
Project Architect: Nan Jiang
Project Team: Sanxing Zhao, Lianyuan Ye, Shaofei Zhang, Qiyue Li, Shuchen Dong, Yuan Feng, Congyue Wang, Yuling Ma, Yanran Lu
Sustainability: Carlos Bausa Martinez, Bahaa Alnassrallah, Aditya Ambare
Consultants:
Structure: 容柏生建筑结构设计事务所 RBS
Regulation And Technical Consultant: 中联西北工程设计研究院有限公司 China United Northwest Institute for Engineering Design & Research Co
