CPI W-18b by YIIIE Architects: Between a commercial and a public space
September 2, 2024
How can design allow commercial functions to be more sustainable while also ‘negotiating’ the public’s access and usability?
Such questions drove the creation of this small-scale building, located on the CPI commercial cluster in Chengdu, China with a limited usage of 10 years. The owner’s brief was for the building to be seamlessly integrated with its lakeside environment while creating a vibrant new commercial usage scenario with a sense of ‘publicness’. This presented an opportunity to delve into the relationship between commercial and public spaces as well as responding to the landscape.
Redefining ‘publicness’
The larger CPI complex was envisioned as a garden-style commercial cluster, connecting scattered individual commercial units through the aggregation of public spaces such as parks, squares, open spaces, sidewalks, waterfronts and streets. While these public spaces are provided by and taken care of by the municipal sector, the architects believed that commercial units should also shoulder some of the responsibility. For example, pedestrians should not only be able to sit on benches by the roadside but also to sit outside each shop. They felt that if each unit only pursued to maximise their business area or strictly guarded their boundaries, then the community will be fragmented and disjointed.
Therefore, the architects opened up the building to its surroundings to form new usage scenarios for public activities. Facing the lake on the north side, there is a circular walkway with a high volume of foot traffic and significant noise. In response, the design was raised to create a height difference and establish both near and far relationships, allowing visual connection. On the east side, a quiet space to be in touch with Nature was established using architectural features such as stairs and overhang spaces. Towards the south, a cement platform has been built by the lake to accommodate possible tenants such as kayak services. For one of the entrances to the building from the west, a mesh canopy wraps around the trees to capture falling debris and form a ‘grey’ in-between space. This is further equipped with a bar to support outdoor activities such as open-air cafés and small-scale concerts.
Light tectonics
To achieve the above spatial ideals and enable more possibilities for the space within its relatively short lifespan, the architects used lightweight structural materials and emphasised the tectonic qualities. The use of modular steel frames, pressure-regulated steel plates and sunlight-reflecting panels, among other industrial products, enables low-cost and rapid construction. Wooden materials are also used for the beams and columns to create a cozy atmosphere.
The façade is multi-layered, with an inner layer of sliding glass doors for insulation and safety and mesh enveloping the outer layer to soften the building’s outline. Not only does the mesh offer permeability for energy conservation when the temperature is suitable, fallen leaves on the canopy are also envisioned to become part of the building process and design expression. The appearance of the building will change with the seasons, from green to yellow and from sparse to dense.
The boundaries between artificial and natural are further blurred by utilising tree canopies to form spaces, extending the outdoor stone paving indoors, and bringing soil and small flowers into the interior.
PROJECT DATA
Project Name
CPI W-18b
Location
Luhu, Chengdu, China
Completion Date
December 2023
Gross Floor Area
52 square metres
Architecture Firm
YIIIE Architects
Lead Architect
Zhang Tang
Design Team
Zhang Tang; Xia Fan; Chen Shenbin
Photos
Jialing Li
Related: The FuturArc Interview | Zhang Tang
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