LAND Community Center, a floating gateway for a new development

LAND Community Center

Located in the burgeoning new district of Fengdong near Xi’an, LAND Community Center is conceived as a floating gateway for a new residential development, whilst serving as a social and cultural hub for the neighborhood.

The site is located between the community garden and the main boulevard of Fengdong district, and the lifted volume allows green space to penetrate the entire ground floor, creating more open space for the residents. A podium of organic shapes is merged with the landscape on the ground floor, forming the floating gateway of the community.

The relationship between the raised volume and the open landscape space on the ground floor are similar with the "tower" and "gate" in the ancient city. In terms of space, urban green belt and community courtyard are connected together to create a "floating door" for the arrival experience.

The design of LAND Community Center consists of community service center, cafeteria, gallery, multi-purpose room for educational and entertainment purposes, a care center for after school children, it also provides a gymnasium for badminton and basketball courts, a fitness workout room and swimming pool below grade.

These recreational spaces are organized around a circular sunken courtyard to allow the natural light penetrated into the underground facilities. The Cloud Gate becomes the gateway to the residential community and adds another iconic architecture along the main boulevard.

As if a cloud gate, Land Community Center hovers over the entry plaza of the residential neighborhood along the main boulevard of Fengdong district. The sculptural quality of this building not only creates an identifiable presence for the new district, but also a unique immersion experience for the residents and visitors alike.

The contrast between the complexity of organic base and simplicity of the upper volume is coherent with the duality of Chinese architecture tradition: the integration of the artificial intervention with nature. Also, the design of the community center maximizes the view connection by preventing from the view blocking on the ground, which creates a connection with nature and landscape.

The design of facade emphasizes the sense of order and thickness. It borrows the texture of the ancient brick wall and integrate it with modern ways into the whole architectural design. By responding to the culture and history of Xi'an, it also shows the stability and elegance of the community center. An open floor and flowing interior concept are introduced to encourage the interaction and exchange between the residents.