Weihai Hospital: A Modern Interpretation of Traditional Chinese Courtyard

GLA-Design's Award-Winning Architectural Feat Combines Tradition and Innovation

The project, located in the East New Town of Weihai, covers a total construction area of approximately 8000m2. The hospital comprises three main parts: the East New Town's programme exhibition centre, the Kangyang Yile Sanatorium, and Medical Care Houses. The design inspiration stemmed from the popular use of Chinese elements in architecture and decoration, coupled with the proprietor's clear requirements for a traditional style. The architects, however, agreed on "imitating but not copying from the traditional style," providing a fresh perspective on the traditional courtyard in northern China.

What sets Weihai Hospital apart are its unique properties. The main body of the construction presents an inverted "Y" shape, achieved through a combination of traditional flush gable roofs, double slope tops, and a few gable and hip roofs. The facade construction emphasizes the interplay of vertically divided lines, white walls, vertical landing windows, and vertical wooden color metal grilles. The structure simplifies the double-deck building and casts a true-or-false reflection with the walls made of pure stones.

The hospital was realized using Portuguese white sandstone for the walls, Al-Mn-Mg for the roof, and European gray glass. The roof, made of aluminum-magnesium-manganese plank, is smooth and neat, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal of the building. The design team faced the challenge of preserving the surrounding pinus thunbergii forest while meeting the proprietor's requirements for a traditional Chinese style building. Their solution was a contemporary expression of the traditional courtyard in northern China.

GLA-Design's approach to the project was based on extensive research on traditional cases, leading to the decision to inherit the essential structure of the Chinese style courtyard. The modern styles of choosing building materials, building details, and construction achieved a balance between the experiential value of the place and the feature of the times. The result is a new style architecture that combines modern elements with traditional ones, creating buildings with traditional charm based on the modern aesthetic view.

The Weihai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is not just a healthcare facility; it is a symbol of the successful integration of traditional charm and modern aesthetics. This unique blend has earned the project the prestigious Golden A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2019, a testament to the extraordinary excellence of the design and its significant impact on the world.