Revolutionizing Architecture: Zhejiang Jiande Aviation Training Base

gad's Award-Winning Design Fuses Nature and Architecture in an Unprecedented Way

The project, located in the Aviation Town of Jiande, was envisioned as an aviation teaching-oriented park with multifunctional spaces for teaching, catering, office work, and hotel accommodations. The design was inspired by the site's strong natural properties, leading to an organic integration of the buildings and the natural landform. This integration not only imbues the campus with a sense of place but also fosters an organic symbiosis between the building and environment, and between humans and nature.

The design's unique properties lie in its respect for the site's natural conditions. Instead of flattening the site to create a conventional campus, the design team persuaded the stakeholders to retain the site's natural conditions. This decision resulted in a park with a strong sense of place and a rich spatial experience that blends architecture with nature. Despite the challenges in construction and cost, the team remained committed to their original design intent.

The buildings are constructed primarily from aluminum sheets and elastic coatings, with terrazzo used for the flooring. The outdoor landscape road is made of permeable concrete to increase the ground's water seepage and storage function. The varied terrain also allowed for the design of a rainwater garden system in the park. The teaching building, designed as a porous container, is a testament to passive energy saving and local climate considerations.

The design also incorporates a unique interaction strategy. The core activity space, the teaching building, connects the hotel on one side and the office meeting room on the other. Public spaces such as the lobby, cafe, lecture hall, exhibition hall, restaurant, and gym are connected in series like pearls on a long corridor, providing different views and comfort for those walking in the park.

The project, which started in 2018 and was completed in June 2020, is a testament to gad's commitment to innovative design that respects and enhances the natural environment. The project's success is reflected in its Silver A' Design Award, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation. This award is given to designs that demonstrate a remarkable level of excellence and evoke positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.