MAD has unveiled design for a new sports center that features an undulating and reflective skin in Shijiazhuang, China. 

Named Cloud 9 Sports Center, the 5,217-square-metre center is located in the northern part of the CBD's Central Park in Shijiazhuang.

The project will be an athletic complex incorporating a gym, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and commercial spaces. Surrounded by residential, commercial, and recreational amenities, Central Park represents unique oasis for locals within the city.

MAD imagined the sports center that acts like "a luminous cloud" that mirrors the natural surroundings. The building's curved volume merges smoothly with the surrounding landscape and acts as if it was part of the landscape.

"Shijiazhuang, a city with a history rooted in early 20th-century railway construction, is undergoing a significant transformation," said MAD. 

"In 2018, the city began a journey to revitalized its central business district (CBD), through innovative planning and architecture while preserving key historic structures, transforming it into a vibrant urban space," the office added.

The sports center is integrated with its surroundings, to serving not only as an exercise venue but also as an extension of the park itself. 

The studio wraps the building's soft and fluid exterior with a translucent membrane material, which creates a luminous "cloud". Through its reflective surface, the building mirrors the natural surroundings. 

Public areas, outdoor courts and green spaces are thoughtfully arranged around the building and integrated with the park to enhance community access. The center's design integrated several features early in the process to enhance both its functionality and environmental sustainability. 

For instance, cooling towers, strategically positioned on the second-floor address underground ventilation issues, are optimized for air circulation and freeing up nearly 5,200 cubic meters of ground space for recreation. 

In addition, the roof of the first floor extends towards the park and is partially covered with green plants, blending its form with the surroundings.

The outer skin of the building's second and third floors utilizes ETFE membrane material with a metallic coating. 

"Considering the buildings impact on the surrounding park, this membrane reflects the surrounding environment helping conceal the building's volume and mitigating visual obstructions caused by the cooling tower," said MAD. 

"The building facade showcases the urban environment and visitor activities, transforming the sports center into an immersive display of urban life," the studio added.

On the building's side facing Central Park, the building features a semi-outdoor staircase. "This vertical feature allows people, even those not using the sports facilities, to access the rest bar along the stairs and climb to the third-floor observation deck for panoramic views of the park and surrounding city," as the studio noted.

On the top floor there is a gym that features a fully transparent glass curtain wall. Through this feature, it is offering a 360° view of the urban and natural surroundings to those exercising.

Another design program element is an indoor tennis court that is connected to an underground commercial street and subway, benefiting from a transparent glass curtain wall that allows natural light to illuminate the space.

A green slope and second-floor platform is added to function as a buffer between the Sports Center and the city. On the other hand, a circular running track connects the building to Central Park, along with outdoor courts, terraced squares, and observation decks enhancing recreational space for sports, relaxation, and leisure.

Cloud 9 Sports Center broke ground in March 2024, and the completion of the building is expected in 2025.

MAD recently unveiled design for a new airport with bird-like volume in Lishui, China. The studio completed the renovation and expansion of a historic Jiaxing Train Station in Jiaxing, China. The firm is also working on a new art center with porous and floating canopy resembling "a continuous wave of water" in Foshan city. 

Project facts

Project name: Cloud 9 Sports Center

Architects: MAD Architects

Location: Shijiazhuang, China

Date: 2021 – 2025

Site Area: About 6,000m2

Building Area: 5,217 square meters

Above Ground Area: 2,299m2

Underground Area: 2,918m2

Partners: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano

Associate Partner: Kin Li

Design Team: Guo Xuan, Pan Siyi, Miao Fangyi, Lai Hanzhang, Deng Wei, Qiao Xuantong, Wang Fei, Wang Lei, Li Cunhao

Client: Shijiazhuang Central Business District Development Co., Ltd.

Executive Architect: Norendar International Ltd.

Interior Design: MAD Architects, IDL

Structural Engineer: CABR Technology Co.,Ltd.

Landscape Consultant: SWA Group

Curtain Wall Consultant: Inhabit 

Lighting Consultant: Beijing Ning Field Lighting Design Co.,Ltd.

All images courtesy of MAD.

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ETFE Ma Yansong MAD sports center