Chinese design studio Cheng Chung Design (HK) with GAD, T.R.O.P have completed a modern art center that features a floating crystal box in Xi'an, China. 

Named Sunac - Grand Milestone Modern Art Center, the project was released by the joint efforts of CCD, GAD, T.R.O.P and other international teams. 

Cheng Chung Design was responsible for interior design of the project. Designers involved poured their hearts into the project, from architectural solutions, landscape planning to interior design and artworks.

Image © Qilin Zhang

Erecting in the magnificent ancient capital Xi'an with a modern and stylish gesture, Sunac - Grand Milestone Modern Art Center appears like a large crystal "gift box" which brings amazing fashionable touches to the land featuring a long history and profound culture. It aims to become a city landmark, and to lead the trend of the era.

Image © Qilin Zhang

The project is situated at the junction of two core areas of the city, the Central Culture Business District (CCBD) and Qujiang Cultural Industry Cluster (QCIC). Set at the high point of Leyouyuan and adjacent to Xi'an Botanical Garden, it's a striking presence, which floats in the air like a futuristic crystal box.    

Image © Qilin Zhang

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Ting Wang

As approaching the interior design, CCD broke the boundaries among the building, landscape and interior, injected purity and tension into the 5,500-square-meter large spatial volume, and created an experiential space that combines futuristic, contemporary and artistic features, which leads visitors to a world full of imagination. 

Image © Ting Wang

A large irregular spherical art installation is placed at the corner of the foyer, which is eye-catching. With an asymmetrical shape, it offers varying visual experiences to people at different distances, showcasing tension of the space. 

The audio/video room beside it floats above the waterscape, which forms the contract of lightness and solidness with the artwork, together merging into a harmonious coexistence.

Image © Ting Wang

The interior space continues lightness of the building that resembles a "floating crystal palace", and at the same time presents contemporary magnificence via the spatial pattern, functions and experiences. Its partial structures and textures embody architectural concepts in a broad sense.

Image © Ting Wang

Chinese aesthetic master Ye Jintian once said, "Oriental aesthetics emphasizes interaction of the abstract and the concrete, and it's the interaction of objects that enables operation of the world and create endless changes." The artwork at the end of the passage brings such oriental aesthetics of the abstract and concrete to the space, which tells the story of time.

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Ting Wang

88-second travel through the time tunnel 

An ultra-long escalator takes people from 1F upwards to 4F in 88 seconds, generating dramatic experiences. The linear escalator is flanked by high stone walls, which block the sight line and close off the outside world, seeming to bring people into a time tunnel highlighted by a beam of light on the top.

Such profound, eternal and pure design enables people to gain inner peace without any distraction within the 88 seconds ascending the escalator, accompanied by the light filter down from the liner groove. 

As arriving at 4F, the field of vision suddenly opens up, with the super-scale transparent space presenting amazing visual experiences.

Image © Ting Wang

As opposed to telling the story in a straightforward manner, the 88-second elevator draws on the aesthetics of contrast in philosophy to produce changing experiences, which echoes the journey of life.  

Artistic field inside, broad world outside

4F features an 8.5-meter full-height space, enclosed by curtain walls and facade of the building core. The giant artwork and the spiral staircase together result in an artistic ambience.

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Qilin Zhang

Artistic elements in the space can always find the way to blend with nature, and achieve perfect harmony.

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Qilin Zhang

Spiral lines form the cross-floor staircase, which seems to be floating between the floors, very flexible, pure and poetic.

Image © Qilin Zhang

Image © Qilin Zhang

Sufficient space is left for the negotiation area and water bar, which guarantees privacy of conversation whilst not breaking the overall serene atmosphere.

Image © Qilin Zhang

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Ting Wang

Image © Qilin Zhang

Inside is an artistic field, outside is a broad world.

This artistic space awash with imagination and poetry is not only a spectacular hall that displays artists' fantastic works, but also a place that evokes interaction between people and art. There are some flexible and versatile "blank" areas, which are capable of stimulating the public's imagination and growth of art.

Image © Qilin Zhang

Image © Ting Wang

A giant golden mineral stone is inserted in the space, which seems to be breaking out of it. This structure symbolizes the strong heart of the building, and the map of the property development "Grand Milestone" is engraved on its surface, which shows an avant-garde way to convey information.   

Light penetrates holes of different sizes, and then casts sparkling dots on the floor, which are visually pleasing.

Image © Qilin Zhang

The light projected onto the travertine wall enlightens the mind, stimulates endless imagination and thinking...  

Image © Ting Wang

First floor plan

4th floor plan

5th floor plan

6th floor plan

Project facts

Project name: Xi'an Sunac · Grand Milestone Modern Art Center

Interior design: Cheng Chung Design (HK) 

Location: Xi'an, China

Area: 5.500 m²

Completion: October 2019

Image copyright: Cheng Chung Design (HK)

All images © Qilin Zhang, Ting Wang

Top image © Qilin Zhang

All drawings © Cheng Chung Design (HK)

> via Cheng Chung Design (HK)