Show & Sales Hall, SOFA Court

Location: Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Client: Chengdu Blue Ray Real Estate Development Co ltd

Building Floor Area:  400sqm     Site area: 900sqm

Completion: 2011

Design Team: J Wu, R He, W Yin

 

Concept

While procuring this one-off use temporary building erected facing the fast traffic in a less populated area, the client is anxious to get a cheap but striking sales hall to catch the eyes of those who pass by quickly in cars. This sales building will be staying on the street during the construction of a large high density high-rise apartment quarter and be demolished before handover.

Quick to build and easy to demolish were the paramount technical requirements. The Steel-frame is therefore chosen for the primary structure. Knowing that the project is targeting the first time buyers of the younger generation, architects expect those bobbling circles and ellipses of various sizes could work very well. This non-structural related shell in front of a low-cost curtain walling is actually rendered by plaster over GRC boards riveted to cheap angular steel frame. The shell consists of several slightly bended planes, which render itself with more interesting shadow effect. The 1~1.5m gaps between the fenestrated shell and curtain walls may push the light-shadow dynamics on step forward. The holes appear to be popping out the fenestrations randomly, but the exact locations of these holes are actually related to the interior installations such as sittings or model display. The main entrance is protected by a curvy steel framed glass canopy protruding through a big ellipse hole.

Behind the bizarre cheese holes, there is a low-cost double height regular-shaped sales and display space for models, billboards and handouts, and the mezzanine level contains payroll, offices and meeting room.