Located in the core zone of the Industrial Park, the Qingdao Virtual Reality Center consists of an industrial land and a green park area. The site is approximately 10.64 hectares with a total designed floorage of about 105,000 square meters. Once completed, the #VR Center will serve as a multifunctional facility, accommodating various activities such as VR experiences, launch events, forums, exhibitions, science popularization and training, and public services.
Taking into account the existing terrain and the surrounding urban features, circles, which are non-directional, are adopted as a main element in the design. The circles are embedded in both natural and urban settings, forming a unique land art and creating excellent viewing decks.
The Center is designed as an elevated structure to give an illusion of a floating space that is gravity-defying. The VR experience area and the dining area are situated under the undulating green hills, creating a spatial juxtaposition and a metaphorical “parallel world” that looks to the future. This is where the real world and the virtual world intertwine and alternate and where varied urban life and boundless imagination collide and sparkle.
The construction is progressing steadily, and it is scheduled to be put into use in 2024. It has won the Winner of 2024 International Architecture Award (#IAA).