Medieval Rethink: A Modern Cultural Centre by QUAD Studio

Reviving History: A Contemporary Cultural Centre in Guangdong

The cultural centre, covering approximately 7000 square metres, is designed to be a new destination for villagers to congregate and interact. The design focuses on creating a multipurpose hall for large social events, with other functions clustered around it. This arrangement naturally creates internal streets and courtyards filled with natural landscapes, providing an abundance of green space.

The design process involved breaking down the village into components of positive and negative space. The designers defined functions as objects and stitched these objects together to form natural courtyards. The ground floor, bustling with activities and visitors, is designed to be as free as possible to allow for pedestrian traffic.

The design team faced several challenges during the project, including cultural differences and the abstraction of the village into the design. The designers met with the villagers to understand their needs and wants, which were then incorporated into the design. The abstraction process involved stripping off the facade to create a picture-like frame focusing on the objects within. This abstraction creates a shading device and multi-layering of the facade, resulting in a rich composition depicting a visual depth beyond the facade.

The project, which started in August 2017, was a response to a private commission to build a cultural centre for a small village in the Guangdong Province. The design concept is based on showcasing the history and culture of the ancient village while linking the old and the new. The cultural centre stands as a reinterpretation of an ancient village and a transformation into contemporary architecture.

The "Medieval Rethink" project was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2020. The award recognizes top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. The design, admired for its strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcases a remarkable level of excellence and introduces positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.