INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION IN CHINA

Download complete press-kit including several visualisations: http://www.coop-himmelblau.at/download/

You may use the pictures for free provided the copy-right holder is named: © Coop Himmelb(l)au

Vienna - Coop Himmelb(l)au, the world-renowned, avant-garde architectural studio located in Vienna (Austria), has won the international competition for the "Science & Technology Museum" in Xingtai, a city with 7.3 million inhabitants and China's most air-polluted city. The concept is part of a newly designed cultural district, which is why it offers wide public green spaces and clean air using innovative technology.

The building once again applies the principle of "no columns - no gravity" and the gigantic roof construction seems to float. At the same time it acts as a projection screen for public events; inside the design takes up elements of a Chinese garden. Wolf D. Prix (CEO, Founder & Design Director) describes the exceptional cloud concept as follows: "The cloud has not only always been Coop Himmelb(l)au's claim and signature, it is also a transforming, poetic metaphor. A rapidly changing element of the sky, endowed with immense significance for the climate and existence of civilizations. The Science and Technology Museum Xingtai will reflect this in its design, content and innovative functions".

Coop Himmelb(l)au is once again setting new standards in architecture, technology and urban planning, which thus fit in well with the installation of a Science & Technology Museum. In the highly air-polluted city, particularly bad air will be detected with the help of satellite technology, sucked in and subsequently converted into energy and fresh air. As a result, the green open spaces and the interiors will be filled with healthy clean air.

Chinese garden in three dimensions

In addition to the museum, the building also houses studios and laboratories for art, research and collaboration. There is also room for cinemas, stages, presentation and learning venues, as well as shops and restaurants. The building was organised in such a way that internal and external, real and virtual spaces complement and define each other. The predominantly public spaces have been arranged in such a way that they function as interactive learning zones and create new perspectives on both the city and society. The interior of the 55,000 m2 building is modelled on a three-dimensional Chinese garden, the paths of which lead through different zones. Visitors can learn here, discover new scientific findings and interact with models.

The three most important architectural interventions are: 1) the public space under the roof with green fresh air. 2) The roof is an experiment in terms of construction and 3) there are two towers located near the building in the park. This is where the smog air is cleaned and the fresh air rises through the landscape creating a very comfortable and healthy zone. The building itself has a very complex but floating structure that captures and embodies the dynamics of scientific development in China.

A sensing part of the city

One of China's great challenges is the quality of the air in the highly industrialised state. In 2013 Xingtai was already the city with the most polluted air in China. Buildings by Coop Himmelb(l)au are not only characterised by unusual shapes that look like clouds. They always interact with their environment – in the context of society and/or an environment-technical context. In this case, the team also wanted to take account of the surrounding air and clouds. Together with the team of ATMOS Aerosol Research, the building turns into a sensing station that enriches its surroundings due to its sensitivity and highly technological features. Using sensors in the façade and satellites in space, it identifies its ambient air and changes it into energy and clean air. This is a worldwide unique project that turns smart buildings into sensitive city districts.

You may download the complete press-kit under http://www.coop-himmelblau.at/download/. The pictures of the project may be used for free provided the copy-right holders are named: © Coop Himmelb(l)au