A Catalyst for Urban Village Life

We were commissioned by the government to design a community center for Cusha village, which is becoming an overcrowded urban village with concrete block buildings leftover from an old fishing village. Before starting the design, we spent two weeks to make a questionnaire to collect suggestions from all of the residents. The interesting result is that most people want a fun and playful place rather than a common service center. It was the local voices that inspired us to create a new space as a catalyst to restructure meaningful relationships between people.

A Vertical Courtyard Connecting Neighbors

The site is limited in a 25m x 30m square, surrounded by hostels on the west side and hills on the northeast. Instead of enclosing spaces inside the building, we adopt an "Open with Void" strategy to grow three floating public platforms, encouraging social interaction, exploration and creativity. These overlapping terraces generate a new type of vertical courtyard, which connects neighbors with customizable programs. During the day, sun gives light and shadow to the intertwined space, and at night, different floors play offer a varied nightlife, like illuminated vertical stages.

An Ecological Canopy for Visitors

The whole building can be regarded as a semi-open canopy; the interior space is integrated with the surrounding nature. We use ecological software to simulate airflow and sunshine to determine the angle and size of each three-dimensional platform, so as to create the best natural ventilation and lighting effects. Even in the hot summer, there is no need for additional air-conditioning facilities to maintain a cool environment.

A Popular Space for Everyone

The new building will become a new attraction for both locals and tourists. On the ground level, children can play on a swing or have a water fight on sand. The lower level is designed for the elderly and families. You can relax on the bamboo chairs to enjoy a few cups of tea or play mahjong with friends for a whole day. Youth will love the higher level to have a party or sing karaoke during the night. In short, the new community center will once again bring people together to create fun times for the village in the future.