SPARK’s ‘pleated’ and ‘woven’ façade for the award-winning mixed-use development Jing Mian Xin Cheng in Beijing demonstrates that depth of experience need not be forgotten despite the speed of the central city’s expansion. ‘Pleats’ of perforated aluminium sheeting and a ‘weave’ of rippling windows resolve a variety of practical issues while referencing a textile market that formerly operated on the site. Jin Mian Xin Cheng, an eye-catching mixed-use development adjacent to Beijing`s Fourth Ring Road, was the winner of a ‘Best Office and Business Development’ accolade at the MIPIM Asia Awards 2013. The development consists of two office towers and a retail podium immediately adjacent to the road, with a protected public plaza to their rear. Given that the massing of the blocks was predicated and constrained by the sunlight requirements of a residential development to the north of the site, SPARK’s work focused on the detailed design of the façade and landscape.
that are difficult to operate and prone to falling. Many building operators do not allow windows to be opened for this reason, yet air conditioning is is usually switched off at 6pm and remains off on weekends. This is a problem for those who need to work beyond regular office hours.” Smaller, lighter, and much easier to use, Jin Mian Xin Cheng’s side windows are thus a practical and low-tech solution to a common problem. The etremities of the ‘weave’ serve an additional function as easily accessed light boxes for night-time illumination of the building.
In a similar vein, SPARK’s landscape design for the plaza establishes a habitable topography of folds on the horizontal plane. “The ground folds up to create seating, and to demarcate different zones in the plaza for different activities,” says Clostermann. This continuation of the theme in the landscape design assures a pedestrian experience as impactful as the visual experience of the passing motorist.
Total GFA (sqm): 87,800
Credits:
Architecture: SPARK
Project Director: Jan Felix Clostermann
Project Architect: Phi Wenhui Lu
Team: Andrew Ng, Chris Taeubert
Client: Sino OceanSino-Ocean Land Holdings Limited
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