Articles by Collin Chen

Community center. What is a “community center”? Is it a hut constructed of wood? Can simply a tree fulfill the requirement? When it comes to “gathering”, it should not be constrained by the frame of how a space is defined. Therefore, the clear boundary formed by walls is not necessary when defining a culture center.

A Gem on the Historical Silk Route. Situated on the southern banks of Tai Lake with the city of Shanghai to the east, the historic city of Huzhou is well-known as one of the birthplaces of silk cultivation. Around 60 years ago, a great number of silk artifacts were discovered on the outskirts of Huzhou, dating back to 4,000 years ago. Today, the silk and textile industries still play an important role in Huzhou’s overall economic development. As the only city in the region to reference Tai Lake in its name. Perkins&Will envisioned an urban planning exhibition museum for Huzhou inspired by the fluidity of water and the texture of silk. With a floor area of 15,600 square meters, the building houses a collection of exhibition halls, offices, a conference center, and educational classrooms. The nature park and lake surrounding the museum attract nearby residents, creating an active cultural and community gathering place. Located between the CBD and the Tai Lake Holiday Resort Area, the project is a key component of Huzhou’s Olympic Sports Center and Wetlands Park. Set within a lush green landscape with a view of the scenic mountains nearby, the museum is a prominent cultural landmark within the area.

Egret Bay art museum is located in Rizhao, Shandong Province. It is located at the east foot of Wulian mountain, a famous Buddhist mountain. Mr. Su Dongpo visited the mountain many times during the reign of the governor of Mizhou, and left a good sentence of “its beauty does not reduce the wild geese”. The construction concept of the town is to “reshape the relationship between man and nature”. On a land area of 10000 mu, it combines the aesthetic space with the natural landscape and various business forms. After more than ten years of construction, it seems to be an ideal place for people to live. In the early spring of this year, Mr. Xu qunde, the founder of egret Bay, went on an outing with me. I talked to him about a building I had built before. There was a process photo. In the picture, there was a woven curved steel mesh floating lightly in the woods hidden by mist. Seeing this picture, Mr. Xu immediately said that there was a place in egret bay where one could be woven, which was located in the cherry blossom Valley mentioned above. Mr. Xu wants to build a building in the center of Cherry Valley as a place for music, dance, drama, and other artistic activities. He described to me that his ideal state is “nature is the best”, the cherry tree is the main body, and the architecture is hidden in it. The two form a perfect relationship. As I understand it, this building is like a small thatched canopy hidden in deep mountains and lakes in Chinese landscape painting, facing the landscape with an elegant attitude, and taking nature as the soul.