The high-density old residential buildings mingle with the scenic spots , making Lychee bay area a compatible and receptive space with low heights. Meanwhile with the opportunity to accumulate wealth, lots of real estate agencies started building residential high-rises and shopping centers, which leads to the disappearance of traditions and memories.
Project synopsis
Guangzhou is an ancient city where tradition lies in people’s daily life, yet confronting the impact of the uplifting development of economy. Lychee Bay, whose history dates back to 2200 years ago, is recognized as one of the originof southern culture. In 1940s, Lychee Bay became a shanty town due to the rapid development of urbanization. Nowadays, more and more houses and shopping centers are rising straight from the ground. The integration of tradition and modernity made Guangzhou resuscitated from the decay, but there areproblemthat burydeep in the city.
The design site of Cantonese Opera museum sits between the high-rises in the east and compact two-floor houses in the south, facing the beautiful landscape of Lychee Bay. Different types of urban fabric tangle in the site making it a negativespace, the chaotic organization of public space and private spaces leads to a complicated urban phenomenon. This blurry spatial boundary also brings about the uncontrolled development in the site. As a result ,the site became congested and people are living in a fast pace. The Cantonese Opera museum could serve as not only a tourist spot,but also a crucial turn point of urbanfabric. It is a commemorative architecture of tradition as well as a court yard to protect people’s living needs, offering place for relaxation.
Info
Guangzhou, China
2016
Cantonese opera museum
A commemorative museum of tradition and civil life
Strategy on site
Two types of urban fabric with different orientation collide around the site. The old residential area lies on the west and southern part of the city, where a regular south-north trend urban fabric exists. All the high-rises and shopping centers lie on the east and north part of the site; with a relatively chaotic urban fabric, they have the momentum to invade more of the old residential area. As a solution, the new museum forms an enclosed space to embrace the traditions and stop the invasion.
From sightseeing area such as Lychee bay river and Wen tower in the north to the high-rises in the east, the view around the site location changes from quiet to noisy, wide to narrow. The museum is designed to embrace the view to the north and keep out the confused facade to the east.
Having a beautiful view of Lychee park and old residential areas , the museum’s southern and western facade integrate with its surroundings by echoing the traditional buildings' scale as well as the form.
1st Floor Plan
Street Section
