CHUNTAI YUE Pastoral Experience Center —Good Space Makings People Happy/ YIJIAN Architects

Award：
1. 2022 Pro+ Award - Gold Award for Public Buildings， Shanghai Architectural Society
2. 2023 ICONIC Award Innovation Architecture – WINNER， German Design Council
3. 2024 German Design Award— WINNER， German Design Council
4. 2024 Pro+ Award - Gold Award for Planning，Shanghai Architectural Society

Location and Natural Recourse
This project is located in Chuntai Village, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is only 29 kilometers away from the city center with a highway. It belongs to CHUNTAIYUE rural Homecare of Elderly Community. The site is surrounded by fields, woods, and rivers, which is a typical earth texture in Chengdu. Local people call it “LINPAN”. LINPAN has lasted for thousands of years. The meaning of LINPAN is that there is a forest in the field, where there are farmers' houses. It belongs to the classic rural lifestyle of the Chengdu countryside.

Project Program
CHUNTAIYUE Pastoral Experience Center (CPEC) aims to provide a space for Elderly enjoying the Rural scenery and taking part in social activities. It faces with fields and forests on the south side. On the north side, it faces with the elderly community.

Design Concept
Design concept wants to combine the natural environment of “Linpan” with the architectural. Our project aims to create the interaction between architecture and nature.

Core questions and Design strategies
The first question is how to make the dialogue between the Experience Center and the countryside?
The south side of CPEC is facing the countryside. In order to achieve the integration of architecture and nature, most of the exterior walls on the first floor are composed of revolving doors, which can be fully opened in seasons without air conditioning. The outdoor landscape and indoor space extend each other. When persons are sitting in the indoor rest area, they are provided a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside scenery. Through the design of the gray space under the eaves, indoor activities can be extended to the outside, where people can enjoy tea, chat, and watch outdoor movies. On the south side facing the countryside, a spacious balcony on the second floor is set up to overlook the countryside. A rooftop terrace garden has been set up on the north side of this building, providing a view of the sunken courtyard of the community.
The Second question is how to make elderly happy?
This building creates Rich and multi-level Indoor Space, such as a Reception Hall on the first floor to see countryside, a roof garden of the second floor, a Rural Rest Hall on the second floor. An atrium facing to the sunken garden on B1 floor. This atrium connects the first and B1 floors, cleverly connecting the above ground spaces with the underground courtyards, cultural activity classrooms, swimming pools, restaurants, and other health facilities. The two-story high atrium can accommodate a variety of indoor activities and provide unexpected surprises. The abundant indoor space brings interesting experiences to the elderly, and they enjoy staying here very much.

The third question is how to create a rural wooden house.
The traditional farmer houses in LINPAN of Chuntai Village have been built with wood. Therefore, the facade of the Experience Center aims to create a rural wooden house. The architects use the architectural language of sloping roofs, wooden grilles and the double skin. The double-layer exterior design presents the image of a rural wooden house during the day, and at night, indoor lights scatter through the grille, showcasing a warm and moving indoor space amidst the chirping of frogs. The double layer skin has not only the effect of shading, but also maintains the integrity of the exterior facade while achieving natural ventilation.
In addition, the Experience Center has adopted the following green measures: the main structure of the building adopts steel structure to improve the assembly rate of the building; The eaves of the north-south sloping roof extend far and wide, which is beneficial for shading; Through the high side window on the roof, natural light is introduced into the interior.

In conclusion, we believe the architectural environment would affect the person’s behaver. Until now, this project has open for one and half year. Most of elders felt relax and pleasure when they entered this building. The elderly really enjoy staying here, even if there are no activities. We think the space designed by us has worked well.