steven holl: tianjin ecocity ecology and planning museums

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steven holl: tianjin ecocity ecology and planning museums

Jan 16, 2013

first image
'tianjin ecocity ecology and planning museums' by steven holl, tianjin, china
image © steven holl

new york and beijing-based practice steven holl architects has just shared with us images of their recently won competition to design the new
'tianjin ecocity ecology and planning museums.' located in a new eco-city being built on the polluted tide flats of bohai bay just south of beijing
that will be home to 350,000 inhabitants, the museum structures will be the first in the cultural district. together making a complete box, the
planning museum is the negative, or subtractive space to the ecology museum's positive, or additive characteristic: the yin and yang. consisting
of equal volumes of 20,000 square-feet each connected by a subterranean service tunnel of the same area, each construct offers varying experiences
based on, as their names imply, ecology and urban planning.

one mass represents the negative space of the other
image © steven holl

entering on the ground level to the ecology museum reveals a projection next to the restaurant and retail areas. an elevator takes guests to the top
level where their descent through the three ecologies - earth to cosmos, earth to man, earth to earth - begins, connected through a series of ramps.
the earth to earth exhibit on the bottom floor features a plane that turns clockwise, moving slowly down towards the ocean ecology space appropriately
situated under the reflecting pond of the exterior plaza. the earth to earth section contains four outdoor green terraces as temporary exhibit spaces
that change with the seasons.

image © steven holl

the shared public square also marks the entrance to the planning museum where visitors are greeted by a large model of the eco-city and another
temporary display area. a multimedia system makes the next sequence of program, the theory and practice zones, come to life with dynamic
informative videos, images, and sounds, all located on the second level. mechanical escalators transport guests to the third floor where one-way
display is turned into an interactive relationship with the viewer. this is accompanied by a 3D cinema and a restaurant with views out towards the
sea. on the top storey one can find the green architecture, landscape and water resources exhibits as well as access to the vegetative roof-scape offering
offering unmatched views.

reflective pool in the plaza located over the ocean ecology exhibit
image © steven holl

interior lobby
image © steven holl

open air terraces create dynamic spaces
image © steven holl

model
image © steven holl

image © steven holl

separated by a large public square
image © steven holl

section
image © steven holl

section models
image © steven holl

inverse sections
image © steven holl

elevation
image © steven holl

watercolor concept
image © steven holl

image © steven holl

danny db

01.16.13

steven holl (39 articles)

Intriguing …..

Robin says:

Jan 16, 2013

Reply
this guy never ceases to amaze me

dbkii says:

Jan 17, 2013

Reply
when solid-printing takes over design…
try this exercise: what if this project was done in the ’60s? how would you feel about it today?

Bruno de Paris says:

Jan 17, 2013

Reply
very nice! like it a lot…..creative

Double D says:

Jan 17, 2013

Reply
“strive to escape language time bondage, intuition is our muse”
great project!

Uli E says:

Jan 17, 2013

Reply
It is a gallery to exhibit a sculpture that is the gallery

raymondo says:

Jan 18, 2013

Reply
superb!

hoseun says:

Jan 18, 2013

Reply
the scale and logic of space truthfully explored from and for a human body. What it means to be physical ! Bravo !

christina read says:

Jan 18, 2013

Reply
Who ate my cheese?
No, honestly, I get it!
But why do we do things just because we can?
Restraint is at the foundation of lasting design.
Even for wild form.

Mike Jackson says:

Jan 19, 2013

Reply
This is deconstructionist to the point that it comes full circle to being organic. That said, just because it can be done doesn’t mean it should be.

LincolnHo says:

Jan 24, 2013

Reply

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steven holl (39 articles)

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