Ruen Design was commissioned by the developer Aranya to create an art center within the Qinhuangdao Gold Coast community. Thanks to the owner’s visionary approach, the project was given broad creative freedom. Ruen Design aimed to redefine the conventional concept of art centers and public spaces. The Anaya community focuses on rediscovering human emotional values and fostering harmony with the natural environment. To support this vision, Ruen incorporated a circular courtyard within the building, serving as a communal space for residents to gather and engage.
The local seawater, influenced by seasonal climate changes, inspired the design concept. During summer, the sea appears calm and blue, while in winter, the surface freezes over. This dynamic natural phenomenon is reflected in the architecture, integrating the essence of seasonal transformations into the heart of the building.
The building features a solid, heavy exterior that fully utilizes the site. At its center lies a recessed circular platform, forming a stepped amphitheater that serves as a focal point for community activities.
This versatile circular space can transform into a water feature when filled, offering a tranquil environment. After draining, it serves as a performance area and gathering spot, encouraging community interaction and energizing the artistic atmosphere. Hence, this project functions not only as an art center but also as a shared communal hub.
The robust building volume connects a series of interior spaces, inviting visitors to wander freely and experience a thoughtfully curated journey with views both inside and out.
The primary purpose of the art center is to display and allow visitors to experience art. The Anaya Art Center achieves this with a spiraling upward flow that guides visitors through each gallery, continuously igniting their passion for art throughout the exhibition.
At the base of the inverted cone-shaped space are a café, a multifunctional gallery, and an outdoor circular theater. From this point, a circular corridor leads visitors through five distinct gallery spaces, culminating at the building’s summit, where they can enjoy panoramic views of the surroundings and activities within the center.
The building’s façade is predominantly clad in concrete wall tiles of varying textures, evoking the stability and weight of rugged stone, standing firm amid a constantly changing environment. Smooth sections of the exterior reflect the sky, while molded concrete bricks interact fully with sunlight, producing a dynamic and ever-shifting texture.
Bronze elements adorn the thick façade, capturing natural daylight and drawing pedestrians’ attention to the display windows. Custom-designed lighting and intricate details bring elegance to the otherwise simple color palette. At night, the indoor illumination radiates through the inverted cone-shaped core, lighting up the entire coastal community.
Project Drawings
▲ Sketch
▲ Sketch
▲ Underground Floor Plan
▲ First Floor Plan
▲ Second Floor Plan
▲ Third Floor Plan
▲ South Elevation View
▲ East Elevation View
▲ Northwest Elevation View
▲ Section A
▲ Section B
▲ Section C
▲ Section D
Project Information
Designer: Ruen Design Research Laboratory
Location: Anaya Gold Coast Community, Beidaihe New District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, China
Category: Art Museum
Founding Partners & Lead Architects: Guo Xi’en, Hu Rushan
Design Team: Yang Yanhui (Associate Director of Architectural Design), Guo Peng (Associate), Utsav Jain, Josh Murphy, Gianpaolo Taglietti, Gao Lezhou, Susana Sanglas, Lili Cheng, Lu Yongxin (Associate Director of Product Design)
Building Area: 1,500 m²
Project Year: 2019
Photography (BIM tutorial) Instructor: Pedro Pegenaute, Summer Solstice
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