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The Yard | Dalian Cultural Center
The Yard | Dalian Cultural Center
Dalian, China
Popular Winner, 2026 A+Awards, Concepts - Architecture +Adaptive Reuse
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Other Projects by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
The Yard | Dalian Cultural Center
Dalian, China
Popular Winner, 2026 A+Awards, Concepts - Architecture +Adaptive Reuse
Our design for a new mixed-use creative development is located in the heart of Dalian in close proximity to university campuses and software parks. The existing compound comprises 6 buildings dating back 40 years, which formerly served as offices, warehouses, and dormitories for a chemical research institute. Our design challenge was to find an architectural language that could unify the buildings which all have varying heights and distinct facades which have undergone previous renovation efforts. The concept behind The Yard stems from a reflection on the projects context, situated in a hidden and introverted locus within the city; a small haven of a soon to be forgotten urban memory. As an adaptive reuse project, the aim is to transform the compound into a destination to serve the local community and student population. Its programming consists of galleries, lifestyle retail, hospitality, cinema, theater, and office space. A small library designed near the entrance greets guests and is accessible to the general public. Drawing inspiration from Chinese gardens, we celebrate the compounds hidden nature as a contemplative space offering refuge from urban cacophony. The continuous figure envelopes the plaza to create a sense of privacy, framing a large rock feature, and acts as a secondary facade layer which mediates between old and new. The tactile material palette is kept minimal and raw to complement the existing stucco facades. Corten steel is used as the main surface material given its relevance as an industrial material which weathers and changes, recording the progression of time. Interior design strategy celebrates the tension between new and old; new plaster finishes juxtaposed with partially exposed brick and structural elements create a dialogue between past and present.
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