The permanent venue of the Yabuli Entrepreneur Forum, designed by MAD Architecture Firm under the leadership of Ma Yansong, has been completed and is now in use. This project is situated in the Yabuli Ski Resort, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China. Yabuli Ski Resort is known for having the longest alpine ski slope in Asia and is the largest comprehensive snow training center in the country.
The Yabuli Entrepreneur Forum’s permanent venue spans a total area of 22,000 square meters, with a building footprint of 16,000 square meters. It houses over 20 fully equipped conference rooms, libraries, and exhibition halls. This multifunctional building serves as a conference center, museum, training facility, think tank, and business school. Beyond hosting the annual Yabuli China Entrepreneur Forum, it also functions as an entrepreneur museum and a national training base for private entrepreneurs, funded and built by the Yabuli China Entrepreneur Forum (CEF).
The building resembles a snow-white tent, gracefully descending from the mountain peak to its base, blending seamlessly into the snowy landscape. Its soft roof is crafted from white aluminum panels that extend outward continuously, giving the impression of a suspended structure and lending a sense of lightness to the entire building. The undulating roof ridges mimic snow scars etched into the earth, echoing the rippling patterns of distant snow-capped mountains.
The structure fully integrates with the natural terrain, climbing the hillside. Approaching from the foot of the mountain, visitors can appreciate the building’s scale and inviting design. The functional layout and circulation paths take advantage of the elevation difference, featuring the main entrance on the east side at the first floor and a secondary entrance on the west side at the second floor. The roof’s smooth curves extend into overhanging eaves that reach up to 20 meters at their furthest point, providing extensive shelter from wind, rain, and harsh weather.
Sunlight filters through the central skylight into a lobby clad in warm wooden materials, creating a soft and inviting atmosphere. The layered textures enliven the space, harmonizing with the roof’s white snow-like design. The lighting inside the hall is cleverly integrated with the skylight’s ETFE curtain wall structure, with fixtures hidden within the architecture. HVAC vents and other equipment are discreetly concealed, preserving the visual purity of the interior. Acoustic considerations are also addressed, with some walls featuring 0.4mm micro-perforations to suit the space’s use as a temporary performance venue.
The main auditorium, capable of seating nearly 1,000 people, is an open, column-free space. Behind the 350-seat auditorium, the LED screen can be opened to reveal a view of the snow road on the west side, offering the audience a stunning outdoor backdrop.
The building’s east and west facades are glass curtain walls that serve as entrances, while the north and south sides feature sunken courtyard landscaping. Portions of the structure are embedded beneath a green soil cover under the roof, blending the building into the earth’s landscape. The HVAC vents on the facade are fully integrated and discreet, with louver openings placed in sunken courtyards and concealed spaces to maintain the integrity of the curtain wall. The main interior space is highly transparent, with floor-to-ceiling glass merging the indoor and outdoor scenery seamlessly. The snowy landscape and warm wooden lobby form a harmonious composition. The central skylight in the lobby opens directly above the main structural truss, connecting the space with the sky.
At night, the Yabuli sky deepens into an intense blue, stretching into the cosmos and sparkling with countless stars. By day, the building is a work of earth art set against the snow; by night, warm lighting evokes the image of a tent glowing with a campfire. The spirit of human curiosity, the pursuit of knowledge and truth, and perseverance shine brightly here around the clock, passed down through generations and guiding future paths.
Since its completion, the project has received multiple international accolades, including the Best Cultural Architecture award at the 2021 Dezeen Awards and the Professional Jury Award in the Auditorium/Theater category at the 2021 Architizer A+ Awards.
About the Yabuli China Entrepreneur Forum:
Founded in 2001, the Yabuli China Entrepreneur Forum serves as a platform where entrepreneurs can exchange ideas. It consistently promotes positive energy, creativity, and constructive dialogue. Its mission is to support and nurture emerging enterprises and entrepreneurs, fostering their growth and encouraging them to become key contributors to society and the nation.
Project Drawings
△ Concept Diagram
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Base Area: 22,000 square meters
Building Area: 16,198 square meters
Building Height: 23.3 meters
Lead Partners: Ma Yansong, Party Masses, Yokosuke Hayano
Lead Vice Partners: Liu Huiying, Tiffany Dahlen
Design Team: Li Guangchong, Sun Shouquan, Deng Wei, Song Chi, Zhang Xiaomei, Huai Wei, Zhao Meng, Wang Shuobin, Zhang Yanru, Yuki Ishigami, Xiao Ying, Tian Jin
Owner: Yabuli China Entrepreneur Forum
Grade A Design Institute: China Academy of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd.
Curtain Wall Consultants: Afa Architectural Design Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Kaiteng Curtain Wall Design Consulting Co., Ltd.
Landscape Design: BJF (Baojifeng) International Design
Interior Consultant: Shanghai Modern Architectural Decoration Environment Design Institute Co., Ltd.
Lighting Design: Bi Pu Lighting Design Co., Ltd.
Logo Design: Dongdao Brand Creative Group
Acoustic Consultant: Tsinghua Tongheng Institute of Architectural Acoustics and Interior Design
Green Building Consultant: Yikang Design and Consulting (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Beijing Branch
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