Bluepha BioFAB is situated in the Coastal Industrial Park of Binhai County, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. This innovative microbial materials factory was designed by XINGDESIGN Architects for Bluepha, a pioneer in blue crystal microorganisms. Bluepha focuses on developing new bio-based and molecular materials that aim to revolutionize industries such as clothing, food, housing, transportation, and medicine. Their flagship product, the biodegradable natural material Blue Crystal PHA, is intended to replace plastics and contribute to a sustainable green future.
Before the fermentation process releases constant-temperature water in the production workshop, a shallow pool is formed atop the office roof. The architecture resembles a petri dish, nurturing the growth of new biological materials. The gentle ripples on the water’s surface seem to echo the boundary between life and matter.
Water represents the essence of life and symbolizes the eternal laws of nature. Human technological and civilizational progress depends on understanding and applying natural principles, especially in synthetic biology. The exhibition hall, reception area, and administrative conference rooms extend outward from the water, offering panoramic views of the vast wilderness where sky and water blend into a seamless horizon.
Most of the office spaces—including conference rooms, staff canteens, kitchens, and multifunctional halls—are submerged just below the water’s surface. These areas are flat and transparent, with walls, columns, and rooms arranged like organelles, providing excellent diffuse lighting. This is where scientists and engineers pursue their daily work.
The pillars are designed to integrate with planting pools and printing cabinets, giving them a sculptural quality. Openings where the pillars meet the roof allow sunlight to filter through the water, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow. This interplay fosters a constant awareness of the noble mission that transcends everyday life. Amid the vast wilderness, this sense of purpose unites the people within.
Surrounding the building is a vast, visually stunning landscape that can evoke a sense of solitude over time. To counter this, a narrow, elongated courtyard was designed on the south side of the building, adjacent to the factory’s second gate wall. This courtyard encloses a comfortable green space indoors.
Within the courtyard, functional spaces such as a duty room, meditation room, salon lecture hall, gym, and computer room have been thoughtfully arranged. These activity areas are connected by walls that add interest and engagement to daily work routines.
Since the site is located on saline-alkali land, the building has been elevated by 1.2 meters, and additional soil has been added to the courtyard to support the early growth of trees. The building’s temperature control system uses constant-temperature water circulation from the factory workshop, incorporates ground air outlets, and fully utilizes the cavity beneath the floor slab to maximize ceiling height.
Bluepha’s New Year card reads: “We are fortunate to stand on the shoulders of giants; like all pioneering explorations, we open a new path for the creation of all living things.” This belief is deeply embedded in the spaces we have created in this building.
Project Drawings
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△ General Layout Plan
Project Information
Architect: Xingzhi Architectural Design Studio
Area: 3,000 square meters
Photographers: Su Shengliang, Xingzhi Architecture
Manufacturers: Beijing Bluepha Microbiology Technology, Suizhou Sanlei Stone Industry, Suzhou Guyu New Material Technology
Lead Designer: Xiong Xing
Design Team: Chen Boliang, Hu Jia, Wu Chuchu, Lin Weiqiao, Liu Xiaofan, Deng Shaoyi, Cheng Ningxin, Huang Yunxuan (late stage), Cao Hui (late stage), Cao Danrui (intern), Di Jiafeng (intern), Zhang Qi (intern), Zhu Qiniu (intern), Chen Yu (intern), Zhen Tian (intern), Jin Ling (RPG production), Wu Su (RPG production)
Structural Design: Tianjushi Engineering Technology Group Co., Ltd
Landscape Design: Tianjushi Engineering Technology Group Co., Ltd
Construction Party: Tianjushi Engineering Technology Group Co., Ltd
Collaborative Designer: Tianjushi Engineering Technology Group Co., Ltd
Client: BLUEPHA Blue Crystal Microorganisms
Location: Yancheng
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