View from the building entrance
Slopes and architectural elements
Open floor space
The project is situated in the west square of the CBD in Keqiao Zhongfang City, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. In recent years, Keqiao has transitioned from a traditional textile printing and dyeing center to a hub for fashion and creative industries focusing on textiles. The client initially requested a venue designed for fashion shows that could also accommodate weddings, exhibitions, and banquets, aligning with this industrial transformation.
VDS Show
We view venues as event-oriented spaces characterized by introversion, enclosure (BIM architecture), and temporality. When no events are scheduled, these venues typically remain closed, becoming passive parts of the city that add to daily maintenance and safety management costs. To better integrate the runway with the city square, we collaborated with the client on an urban strategy to introduce daily-use spaces at the interface between the venue and the city. These spaces are inspired by fashion events and include fabric exhibition halls, education and training centers, and designer studios.
These daily spaces are designed to be open and easily accessible to the public. By establishing a 24-hour vitality loop, the project maximizes interaction between the building and the city, creating a lively urban environment.
Showroom – Event Space during Summer Solstice
The architectural design features an onion-shaped layout with two layers of outward-sloping circular walls. These walls clearly separate the daily spaces from the event spaces, from the exterior to the interior.
Bird’s-eye view: The inner and outer rings define event-oriented and daily-oriented spaces during Summer Solstice
The daily-use areas between the inner and outer rings are located on the third and fourth floors. They connect to the city square through an elevated and sloping second floor, providing easy public access. Partial floor voids and outdoor courtyards enhance spatial fluidity by softening interior boundaries. Greenery planted on the second floor extends upwards, further blending the interface between upper and lower levels.
All daily spaces benefit from natural ventilation and daylighting through built-in courtyards. These courtyards exploit temperature differences and air pressure to create a natural airflow system, well-suited to the southern climate. The outer ring facade acts as a “stage,” with each opening oriented toward distinct urban scenes such as music fountains, reception centers, riverbanks, wedding squares, and revolving art galleries, producing a dynamic sequence of visual experiences.
The uniformity of the outer ring’s material preserves a clear and legible spatial concept of “ring,” fostering an inward yet open atmosphere.
Stage Entrance during Summer Solstice
Outer Ring – “Stage” Entrance during Summer Solstice
Slope – Rest area during Summer Solstice
Fourth-floor outdoor courtyard – inward-open space during Summer Solstice
Aerial layer – spatial penetration during Summer Solstice
Aerial layer – courtyard ventilation and lighting during Summer Solstice
Overhead structural system during Summer Solstice
The four-story runway venue, located within the inner ring, features a half-floor height difference from the city square. Visitors enter directly via large steps connected to the square. The logistics and equipment areas, covered with sloping greenery, are situated below the elevated level. Logistics and exhibits are accessed through an underground garage.
Different height variations help to separate functions and prevent interference, accommodating diverse usage modes.
Show Entrance – Suspended Structure during Summer Solstice
The inner ring’s structural walls, combined with a large-span truss roof structure, form a cylindrical frame. This connects to a single row of inclined columns supporting the surrounding space, creating a frame tube structure. The circular space around the building expands layer by layer, giving the impression that the entire building floats above the ground.
The cavity within the inner ring’s structural wall houses all necessary equipment conduits, preserving the building’s clean form.
Square – Suspended Form during Summer Solstice
Outer Ring – “Introverted Open Space” during Summer Solstice
The concept of creating an “inward open space” was initially developed for the Wuchuan Industrial Park office building project started in 2013. However, it was put on hold during construction due to various factors. This project realizes a simplified version of that concept, and we look forward to further exploring it after planting greenery in the internal courtyard.
Due to constraints in the construction period and techniques, the structural texture effect we envisioned (BIM design) was not fully realized. The inner and outer rings and the inclined support columns were intended to have rough concrete surfaces but were temporarily coated with white mortar. After discussions with the property owner, a restoration project is scheduled for this year.
Rendering
Construction Process:
Model:
Conceptual stage model
Initial design stage model
Initial design stage model
Design Drawings:
Master Plan
Second Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
Fourth Floor Plan
Sectional View
Wall Node Detail
Project Information:
Project Name: China Textile City Fashion Release Theater
Project Type: Cultural
Location: Keqiao City, Zhejiang Province, China
Lead Architects: Wu Linshou, Zhao Xiangying
Design Team: Li Jingzhou, Zhang Jia, Lin Chaosen, He Shaojun, Wu Rui, Gao Youtan
Owner: Shaoxing China Textile City Business Headquarters Park Investment, Development and Operation Co., Ltd
Structural & Electromechanical Consultant: Hangzhou Zhonghan Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Landscape Design: Andao Design Group
Structural Consultant: Chen Zhaozhi
Total Construction Area: 5,260 square meters
Building Scale: 4 floors
Maximum Height: 15.8 meters
Photography by Summer Solstice
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up