Strait Culture: An Innovative Expression of Chinese Tradition

Zong Wu Xu and Pekka Salminen's Award-Winning Architectural Masterpiece

The Strait Culture and Art Center, designed by Zong Wu Xu and Pekka Salminen, is a magnificent embodiment of Chinese traditional culture. Its design, inspired by the jasmine flower, a world-renowned symbol of Chinese culture and the city flower of Fuzhou, is composed of five main buildings that represent five white jasmine petals. The Liangcuo River runs through these buildings like a flower stalk, creating a picturesque scene of "blossoming jasmine flowers over a moonlit river".

With a gross floor area of 153,000㎡ on the southern bank of the Minjiang River, the center is a cultural complex that includes a multifunctional theatre, opera house, concert hall, art museum, film and television center, and central cultural hall. The design utilizes traditional Chinese materials, ceramics, and bamboo, which are not only symbols of Chinese spirit and endowment but also locally sourced, reducing production and transportation costs.

The center's front facade features more than 40,000 ceramic rods, while the back facade is adorned with 36,000 ceramic plates, making it the largest ceramic curtain wall building in the world. This innovative design approach has been hailed as a unity of technology and art. To ensure the durability of the structure, the louvers were subjected to rigorous manual and machine tests, as well as German wind tunnel tests.

Despite the challenges posed by the local flood control facilities, the designers successfully integrated the center with the Liangcuo River, making it a part of the whole architecture. They also reserved space for future connection with the subway, filling the gap of public traffic lines in the region. The outdoor square, roof platform, and waterborne space have been opened to the public, integrating with the Minjiang landscape system to form a space for immersive urban cultural experience.

The Strait Culture and Art Center was completed in August 2018 and has since been recognized with the prestigious Platinum A' Design Award, which recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that contribute to societal wellbeing. This award is a testament to the innovative design approach of Zong Wu Xu and Pekka Salminen, and their commitment to integrating traditional culture with modern architecture.

In conclusion, the Strait Culture and Art Center is a unique architectural marvel that beautifully blends tradition and innovation. Its design, inspired by the jasmine flower, is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of China. The center not only serves as a cultural complex but also as a symbol of the unity of technology and art, making it a true masterpiece in the world of architecture.