Yiwu Cultural Square

The project is situated in Yiwu Economic - technological Area and beside Yiwu River. With a total construction area of 82,360 sqm, it's a large cultural complex that serves a multitude of purposes including cultural and recreational activities, education and training, sports and physical exercise, etc.

Globally renowned for its burgeoning small commodity market, Yiwu is a Chinese city where small and medium-sized enterprises are densely concentrated and private economy is highly developed, which are reflected in the urban built landscape — awash with a large number of homogenized, small-scale and high-density buildings.

The local citizens have a strong desire for iconic city architectures and open places for public activities. After being included in the central city planning scheme of Zhejiang Province, Yiwu has begun to take firm steps towards becoming an international metropolis. The municipal government hoped to take the construction of Yiwu cultural center as an opportunity to show citizens a new city image and declare cultural confidence to the world and future.

As approaching the design of the large multifunctional cultural complex, the key considerations were how to express respect to local culture in an appropriate manner, and how to present the modern appearance of the emerging city whilst taking into account local people's traditional and humanistic sentiments.

The design gathers parts into an integrated whole, incorporates and coordinates complicated functions within a minimalist architectural structure, and produces a large architectural volume that differs from that of ordinary buildings in the city.

The project inherits the courtyard-centered spatial layout of traditional Chinese architectures. As opposed to arranging a big hall in the center area of the building, the architects designed a multi-dimensional courtyard, which starts from a sunken square, stretches upwards along slopes and big steps and eventually reaches the rooftop garden, featuring a flexible and smooth circulation and offering varying views for people at each step. Such design also draws on the spatial organization techniques of traditional Chinese gardens.

Around three sides of the courtyard, the functional zones of theatre, fitness center, youth center are orderly arranged, while the other side is the main entrance with a huge roof resembling a cloud hanging up in the sky. The wide "gray space" under the entrance is derived from the spatial pattern of traditional public areas in southern China such as performance stages and ancestral halls, which perfectly meets the demands of local public cultural events. The urban stage under the expansive roof is the most popular with citizens, where they are protected from wind and rain and can also enjoy a good view of the enchanting river scenery and bustling cityscape.

Every morning, lots of people come there for sports, exercise and rest. The abstract red corbels under the eaves of the big roof have a unique form, looking like stage curtains and ancient Chinese palaces' brackets, which embodies traditional oriental culture. The red color of metal plates was customized, called "Yiwu Red". Those plates are characterized by changing hues, which are vermilion in normal conditions and present brilliant golden color under light from certain angles. "Yiwu Red" implies that the city can provide merchants worldwide with fantastic opportunities to seek wealth and realize their dreams. To search for the surprising "golden hue" has become a fun thing for tourists to do at the Yiwu Culture Square.

The sunken square is combined with a stepped seating area, making it suitable for organizing public cultural activities with Chinese characteristics. When walking across the long and big steps and reaching the wide open rooftop, people can have a panoramic view of the charming Yiwu River, Diaoyuji Park, and Lion Mountain. As night falls, the simplistic facade facing the river turns into a huge screen, which becomes more glamorous by reflection of the gleaming Yiwu River, hence presenting a gorgeous view of the city.

Design Team:

Architectural Design and Research Institute of Zhejiang University (UAD): Dong Danshen, Qiu Wenxiao, Chen Yu, Zheng Maoen and Zhang Jiachen

Curtain wall design: Bai Qi'an, Hang Fei, Tao Shanjun, Cao Dongqiu

Landscape design: Yu Bing, Pan Rifeng, Gong Zhihua, Feng Ji, Zhang Wenhao, Huang Binbin, Zhang Jun

Structural engineers: Shen Jin, Cheng Ke, Ding Lei, Bao Kanyuan, Ni Wenhao, Li Shaohua, Chen Gang and Jin Zhenfen

MEP consultants: Yang Yi, Chen Ji, Zheng Guoxing, Ren Xiaodong, Yang Wenzheng, Sun Dengfeng, Fang Huoming, Chen Zhoujie, Shao Chunting, Yang Guozhong, Lin Hua and Li Xiangqun

Lighting consultant: Cui Zichuang

Quantity surveyors: Sun Wentong and Zhou Yongjie