“Architecture as a connective medium, translating and reconfiguring between the artificial and the natural, between imagined perception and public participation.”— Peidong Zhu
“Stone Prism,” designed by Peidong Zhu, Co-Founder and Chief Architect of line+ studio, is the first public building completed in Dalian’s Lingshui Bay park. Conceived as a “seaside parlor,” it serves local residents while embodying the city’s goal of merging urban life with the coast. Drawing from Dalian’s “mountain-sea-city” landscape, the project defines a threshold between nature and urbanity, between everyday living and the extraordinary experience of the sea.
Inspired by the act of stacking stones along the shore—a universal symbol of balance and play—the design stacks three offset volumes to form a unified composition resembling a reef. Each layer corresponds to a social function: a civic ground level open to the public, a middle level for sports and recreation, and an upper tier for leisure, dining, and panoramic views. The spatial journey transitions from cave-like enclosure to open vista, guiding visitors from intimacy to openness.
The façade combines beige honeycomb stone panels with transparent glass, balancing weight and lightness. Its geometric pattern evokes weathered reef textures, while glass voids capture shifting light and reflections of sea and sky. “Stone Prism” stands as a restrained yet expressive landmark—an inhabitable sculpture that transforms Dalian’s southern shoreline into a civic destination for gathering, leisure, and shared experience.