Client:
Jinzhong Fengrunze
Contractor:
–
Commencement | Completion
2010-2012
Area
4.5 ha
Floor Space
Landscape Parking 300 cars, Meeting Centre 5000 m2, Valley Hotel 3000 m2, Eco Restaurant 8000 m2, Wedding Centre 3000 m2
Fascination
The valley’s unique dimensions, in addition to its visual and tactile changes with the seasons, leave different impressions throughout the year. Most surprising is the perception of space; viewed from the top looking in, the valley adopts a sculptural quality. At ground level, within the valley, a new environment is experienced, defined by earthen walls frame a natural ceiling. This connection to the green theme of the Agritech Park inspired us to develop the philosophy:
“Landscape becomes building and building becomes landscape”
Masterplan
Divided in 3 parts:
A the production, leisure and education / communication activities.
B the relocation of the farmer villages.
C the Mars Experience.
The parts were chosen related to the typical form and location of the part in the length of the valley.
The Agritec Demonstration Park is defined around a green theme. The Greenhouses offer space for plant production, leisure and education. This, combined with the unexpected beauty of the valley, hidden from first glance, inspired our innovative idea to distinguish the Park from other developments in China and elsewhere in the world. Instead of the traditional archetypal buildings which rise to the sky and dominate the landscape, we see the opportunity created by nature to consider the valley already as a building. In an alliance with nature we design adaptations which house the special activities of the Park. In this way, nature and design work together and strengthen each other.
Landscape Parking
We were able to conceal the obstruction from parked vehicles by integrating the parking area into the advantageous natural landscape. The rows of parking spaces follow the sloping landscape down to the valley floor. Green walls and pergolas provide physical and visual shelter over the cars. The location of the parking is crucial to the success of the masterplan, and allows access to all of the Park’s elements; directly linking the eco-restaurant, meeting center, growing-allotments and glasshouse productions.
There are small parking plots directly related to the individual Park elements, which serve the different functions. Bus parking is located behind the production green houses so that people can be dropped at different stops related to their intended activity and be picked up for their departure.
Storage Dike
The idea of the Storage Dike is primarily to block out passing road traffic, provide an extensive storage facility and to act as a landscape feature.
Facing the future important road north of the production greenhouses, the Storage Dike becomes the entrance to the array of different buildings and activities behind, thus becoming a landscape gesture. The green image of the park is presented by the green Dike covered with flowers in the summer. Windmills on top generate sustainable energy. At the same time, the Dike is a building, in line with the the philosophical theme of the masterplan. It houses product storage for the greenhouses and includes necessary loading docks. The mass of the dike is perfect for stabilising the internal temperature. At this side of the Park the logistics for professional worktraffic are organised. The Glassdike section is for product inspection and represents the Park in its expression.
In front of the Meeting Centre, the Dike dissolves into small dikes creating a pattern of mini valleys, announcing the surprising beauty of the valley landscape. In the summer these contain different flowers; in the winter it is a snowy playground for the children.
Meeting Centre
People meet here to learn, to exchange, to grow. Part of the space is for demonstration purposes of agricultural products or techniques. Since this centre has a flexible division of space, many different activities can be housed in the building. Spaces can be small for groups of twelve people, or connected together so that large events can be housed. Related to the green theme of the Agritec Park, the spaces are connected by green patios which are covered with glass. These spaces can be dependant on peoples’ wishes, either becoming part of the space they are using or functioning as a closed-off semi-outdoor space.