The Lanzhou Gaolan Community Cultural and Sports Center is designed to invigorate the emerging residential community in the southern part of the Lanzhou Gaolan Economic Zone. By integrating clusters such as parks, green spaces, leisure trails, cultural centers, sports parks, health centers, and service hubs, it fosters a vibrant, 24-hour open shared community that surpasses traditional public community building types.
A “three-dimensional corridor bridge” organically connects adjacent plots and functions, enabling residents to access daily necessities and amenities within a 10-minute walk in the post-pandemic era. This design closely links the city with its residents, enhancing urban connectivity and community life.
Project Background
In recent years, the rapid development of the Lanzhou Economic Zone has led to a serious shortage of land and available development space, which has somewhat limited further growth. The overall planning focuses on ecological restoration and construction in the transitional zone between the new and old urban areas of Lanzhou. It addresses land space requirements while creating a versatile and sustainable environment that adapts to future needs.
The project site is located in the southern residential area of the Gaolan Ecological Restoration and Industrial Development Demonstration Zone, adjacent to North Ring Road, with Lanzhou North Station situated within two kilometers.
The pandemic has transformed lifestyles and prompted us to rethink how design can adapt in the post-pandemic era. The virus’s transmissibility restricts outdoor activities, making community activity centers essential spaces for residents to gather, move, and relax.
Our approach integrates community functions to create an efficient “internal circulation” system. Strolling through the center feels like walking in a lush park, fostering neighborly connections and meeting daily needs.
The design respects the original natural landscape to achieve harmony between architecture, people, and nature, seamlessly connecting urban spaces. Well-equipped public facilities and open neighborhoods with diverse functional “interest points” drive regional development, creating an ecological, human-centered, and all-weather ideal community.
Healthy and Diverse Community Settlements
Exploring a New Shared Community Model
The project site measures 500 meters from east to west, with a maximum elevation difference of 21 meters, creating varied terrain. The community park along the east-west axis has a 7-meter height difference; commercial areas vary by about 3 meters, and cultural facility zones vary by approximately 6 meters.
Besides challenges posed by the uneven terrain, the site is also impacted by main roads and slope protection measures, resulting in poor access to the community center and significant traffic detours. The design challenge lies in overcoming the fragmented multi-level terraces within a compact site.
Inspired by the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu Province, we designed a three-dimensional corridor bridge to connect the site’s varying elevations. This structure not only enhances connectivity between different plots but also effectively addresses the site’s height differences.
Along this axis, eight major building nodes are strategically placed, including community parks, service centers, semi-public landscape courtyards, cultural centers, sports parks, health centers, market businesses, and terrace parks. A network of squares and bridges creates a transitional space between urban life and the new community center, linking various spaces to form a vibrant social scene.
The community service center features an open retreat platform, a cantilevered observation deck, and an internal courtyard layout. A series of green spaces and pathways further enhance shared facilities and public areas.
The commercial block connects directly to the community service center, using the elevation changes to create employment opportunities for nearby residents. The ground floor offers a continuous commercial interface, while the second floor forms a three-dimensional corridor for people to explore the area. Across the road, residents can access the cultural center.
To meet community needs, the cultural center houses a two-story library, offering spaces to relax, nap, and enjoy views of the green spaces and terrace parks outside.
Our goal is to create an efficient and inclusive 24-hour accessible community center, where diverse functions and spaces are seamlessly connected, injecting ongoing vitality into the post-pandemic community.
Project Drawings
Project Information
Project Name: Lanzhou Gaolan Community Cultural and Sports Center
Location: Southern Gaolan Economic Zone, Lanzhou
Design Firm: Shenzhen Yijing Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Collaborators: Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd
Website: www.yijing-vip.com
Lead Architect: He Mincong
Design Team: Xiao Lijun, Wei Yi, Chen Zhiyang, Liang Chihong, Shi Huaxi
Status: Design commission plan
Design Period: September 2021
Land Area: 10 square meters
Building Area: 61,500 square meters
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