China-based architecture practice Continuation Studio has completed a new Exhibition and Community Centre in the Jiangsu province of China, as part of a-million-square Vanke Future Town project. 

Built as an entrance element to the land in the demonstration area, the project - called A Reverie of Bridge - is designed to showcase the proper tone for the whole ongoing project.

One of the key aspect of the project is that the studio uses short timbers to construct long-span in the interior of the building, which is exhibited as a "structural beauty" and a tribute to the traditional Chinese craftsmanship, in order to apply Vanke’s technical strength and value, as well as applying it to the studio's projects in the future.

Commercial units

Located by the Yunlong Lake in Xuzhou, the project covers a total of 1,200-square-metre area, including 600-square-metre Exhibition Centre. 

The sales exhibition centre (which will later be converted into a community centre) is designed to be in proportion with and reflects the vast scale of Future Town and the geographical structure of the city.

Commercial units

The building includes small spaces for the entrance hall, screening rooms, separate meeting rooms and rear services, is compressed into the east wing, ensuring a single piece of large – scale space for exhibition in the main building. 

Commercial units

This layout creates an open floor plan in the main building to achieve the multiple functions that require for exhibitions and as a community centre. 

Meanwhile, the abundant glazing of the facade gives views out to the city, reducing the architectural volume as it connects with the external space, enhancing its public characteristic. However, in contrary to its sheer appearance, inside of the main building is a set of exceedingly complex and exquisite structure.

Exhibition Center

"In 2009, I visited a few ancient timber arch bridges (Beijian Bridge, Xidong Bridge, Xuezhai Bridge and the Santiao Bridge) in Taishun, Wenzhou, and its surrounding area in person. Looking up to the overlapping short timbers constructing a long-span structure, I was smitten by the beauty of its form, scale and the wisdom of the craftsmen. I since then had been revisiting them in later years," said Continuation Studio. 

"Yet, unfortunately, in 2016, less than a month later after my last visit, Xuezhai Bridge was demolished by the flood."

"Our studio has since then been studying these traditional bridges and hand modelling their long-span structure constructed of short timbers, as a tribute to the traditional Chinese craftsmanship, in order to apply its structural beauty to our projects in the future," added the firm. 

As in this project, the bridge structure is introduced into the large-scale exhibition space, as a piece of expressive element to be viewed from below, as a demonstration of Vanke’s technical strength and value. It is also reflected in the water patio in front of the main space.

600mmx200mm glued laminated timbers with different lengths are used as basic components. Moreover, the part works as a horizontal fulcrum between the upper and lower timbers in the original bridge structure is replaced by steel tubes, which now support the timbers by weaving in where they interlock together. 

With this approach, different from the unidirectional arch the original structure performs for pressure-bearing, it establishes a system of continuous triangles and inverted triangles, which slopes rather gently in comparison to the original.

"When this set of wood structure is finally put up as a permanent art piece inside of the showcase that is this exhibition space with pellucid glass curtain walls on all sides, it is felt as though the history and traditions had been lost in time is recalled to our present," the architects added.

The authenticity of the structure and the recreation of the spatial impression have been discussed repeatedly in the studio as the project progresses.

"As we attempted to apply the structure as a ceiling that acts as a part of a force bearing structure, its stiffness and bearing capacity has gone through calculation to meet the requirements. However, the force bearing structure it forms with a group of pillars is still not able to resist lateral force when being up in mid-air." 

In addition, in the studio's original proposal, the glass curtain walls with group of glass ribs was adopted, which was suspended from the timber structure ceiling (said approach was eventually replaced by the current proposal that is to support the glass curtain walls with steel studs). To achieve this vision, the requirements on the timber structure’s bearing capacity would be raised, which would lead to the significant alteration of the piece’s appearance.

Therefore, the timber piece does not act as the major structure in the force bearing system. Instead, it is supported by a group of 8 steel columns and suspended from steel beams hidden in a roof above.

The latter reinforcement dismisses the lack of lateral resistance in the previous approach as the piece hits mid-air. It, although, has been a great pity, since the timber piece does not physically act as a bridge, by which it is inspired.

If it weren’t for this trade-off, however, the construction wouldn’t have been simplified, in order to be accomplished with the given time as short as 7 months. 

It also endows a visual sensation of floating to the space, when the suspended lumbersome looking timber piece appears to be levitating in the air, making a striking contrast with the lightsome roof above. The recreation of impression on the place from where I gazed upon the bridge underneath is effectuated.

Combination of components

General layout

Diagram of the mechanical and electrical equipment

Maintaining of the external features of the structure

Shifting of force bearing system

Source of the form

The generation of commercial units

The space is restricted by different forms of structure

Continuation Studio founded by Fan jiujiang and Zhai Wenting in 2015, is a small-scale architectural design practice, specialising in architectural design, architecture and space renovation, and interior design. 

Based in Hangzhou, the team realises high concept design with spatial construction methods of narratives, concerning about the ongoing development in urban and rural spaces as well as local construction activities.

Project facts

Architects: Continuation Studio

Lead Architects: Fan Jiu-Jiang, Zhai Wen-Ting, Yu Kai, Shen Feng-Jia, Dong Run-Jin(intern)

Location: Xuzhou, Jiangsu

Area: Approx. 1200m2 (incl. 600m2 Exhibition Centre)

Genre: Sales Exhibition Centre / Community Centre

Duration: 9/2016 – 11/2016

Completed Time: 03/2017  

Client: China Vanke Co., Ltd. (Xuzhou Branch)

Consultants: Shanghai Wansheng Architectural Design Consultant

Landscape Designer: Guangzhou S.P.I Landscape Group

Interior Designer: VVS Architect (Shanghai Branch)

Lighting Designer: Shanghai Pinguang Lighting Design

Technical Drawings: Jiangsu Huasheng Architectural Design

Timber Structure Engineer: Zytimber (Shanghai)

Curtain Wall Designer: Shanghai Anxun Exterior Wall Engineering Design, Forster Engineering Consulting (Nanjing)

Curtain Wall Construction: Jiangsu HWA Curtain Wall Building

All images © SHIROMIO Studio

> via Continuation Studio