Design Concept
Tucheng Sports Center is composed of three interlocking volumes that stack on top of each other. Both the red (basketball courts) and the grey massing (ice hockey rink) cantilever 9 meter out from the blue massing (swimming pool) which create a continuous walkway below for semi-outdoor activities such as strolling, rock climbing or street dancing. The exterior of the building is cladded with a window system that incorporates perforated aluminum in the front and glass in the back, which allows sunlight to be filtered gently into the interior space. With this cladding system, one is able to look out from within but at the same times provides privacy when looking from outside. Moreover, the design of exterior is composed with an array of gradient colors which meant to capture the motion of speed in various sports. With three volumes intersecting each other, interior is created with maximum visual connectivity that allows visitors to see beyond their own sports space. For example, when inside the swimming pool, one is able to see the other sports such as fitness gym, snooker room, yoga rooms, and spinning bike rooms located on the second floor, and vice versa.
Design Conclusion
Tucheng Sports Center embraces both horizontality and verticality in design. It explores the opportunity of engaging visitors with height differences in building section and at the same time brings people together with open floor plan layout. It is a building with delightful surprises at every turn of the corner as well as on every change of levels.