Nanjing Shangqinhuai International Exchange Cultural Center is adjacent to Shangqinhuai Wetland Park. Surrounded by Qinhua River, Yuntaishan River and Yangshan River, the wetland park is rich in natural landscape and serves as the green lungs of the city.
The International Cultural Exchange Center has three major functions: an exhibition center, a conference hall and a hotel. The site is split into northern and southern parts, and shares the same entrance avenue with the wetland park. The challenge is to integrate the building mass with the natural environment. The conference hall, to the north of the entrance, is divided into a series of spaces linked together by a circulation belt. The ring-shaped exhibition center, to the south, acts as the connection between natural landscape and human activities, where the organic building shape appears fittingly with the natural wetland.
The conference hall accommodates three different scales of conference rooms and accessory facilities, in response to varying needs and usage efficiency. The permanent exhibition, multifunctional hall, and multimedia rooms are located on the second floor of the exhibition center, with windows to the south overlooking the vast wetland. The entrance lobby, restaurant, souvenir store and administrative offices are located on the west side of the ground floor, while the special exhibition halls are set on the east to have the flexibility with the permanent exhibition space. On top of integrating with nature, the architectural design also demonstrates a touch of future and technology.
The conference center adapts simple forms and façade materials to create architecture blending the natural and the contemporary, cleverly mixing the use of stone, glass, and customized aluminum panels. The exhibition center is a ring of masonry split into pieces, interpreting the concept of “coexisting with nature; erosion by water”. Overall, the modern architectural approach shows off the beauty of Shangqinhuai wetland while bringing forth the energy and vitality of the natural city.
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