Reviving the Past: Snail Bay's Urban Renewal

Kris Lin's Four-Dimensional Design Approach Transforms Old Buildings into a City Exhibition Hall

The project, located in Kunming, also known as the Flower City and Spring City, is one of the most habitable cities in China. The Snail Bay Center was upgraded on the original site of Old Snail Bay, demonstrating a successful case of the reconstruction and reuse of old buildings.

The uniqueness of this design lies in its four-dimensional integrated approach, encompassing architecture, landscape, interior, and soft decoration. Lin's strategy was to remove the external wall, excavate its internal spatial memory and value, and endow it with a proper temperament while preserving its structure and spatial pattern.

To maintain the architectural function, a large area glass curtain wall was used on the side facing the natural landscape, opening up the indoor space vision. The lake water was introduced into the building, and the regular pool and the natural lake surface form the visual effect of overlapping. This design enriches the landscape level of the pool and creates a flow between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The project started in October 2018 and was completed in March 2019. It was exhibited in Kunming, China in March 2019. The project covers an area of 6800sqm and has won the Golden A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2020.

The Snail Bay project is a testament to the power of urban renewal and the potential of old buildings to be transformed into functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces. Kris Lin's innovative design approach has not only breathed new life into the old buildings but also set a precedent for future urban renewal projects.