West Suburban Elegance: A Modern Garden Space Experience

Shanghai PTArchitects' Display Center Blends Tradition and Innovation

Shanghai PTArchitects drew inspiration from the site's characteristics and the surrounding residential texture. The design team, comprising Ren Xiangyi, Hu Qiao, Guo Juntang, and Fu Yuelin, employed a combination of flat and sloped roofs to create a rich spatial volume and ample floor area. This ingenious combination echoes the scattered small volumes of the surrounding area, creating a harmonious blend with the environment.

The project's unique properties lie in its location and design approach. Situated in Sijing, a town with over a thousand years of history, the design respects the local culture and language. The settlement form of the building presents a rich space that borrows from the surrounding environment, providing visitors with a modern garden space experience.

The realization of this design involved the application of spatial streamline based on Suzhou garden techniques. The design team created a rich space for enjoyment, play, and living within a limited area. The integration of the corridor, garden, courtyard, building, spring, stone, flowers, and wood, using various techniques, resulted in a harmonious living environment that blends seamlessly with nature.

The design strategy included two main parts: maintaining the original building base texture and massing, and expressing heritage elements with innovative architectural language. The new entrance facade features simple sheet walls, with concave slope tops between the walls, hinting at the renewal of the original roof while maintaining its trend.

The project, which started in December 2018 and concluded in December 2020, faced challenges in presenting a rich spatial feeling and visiting experience within a limited building volume. The design team overcame these challenges by creating an effective space that offers different scenery as one moves through the display center. The design of ancient trees, wells, and flowing water details evoke memories of hometown and oriental culture.

West Suburban Elegance has been recognized for its innovative design and cultural respect, winning the Golden A' Architecture, Building, and Structure Design Award in 2022. This prestigious award is granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, advance art, science, design, and technology, and significantly impact the world with their desirable characteristics.