wutopia lab adds optical illusion striped finish to tourist information center in china

wutopia lab has transformed the concierge room of tourism company aranya in qinhuangdao, china, into a striped information center. replacing its original skin with a semi-transparent glass, the architects have created a translucent box surrounded by a solid wall that acts as the intermittent space between inside and outside in the form of a courtyard.

all images by creatAR images

‘I hope to continue to experiment through this small project, exploring the boundaries of architecture,’ notes yu ting of wutopia lab, ‘to do that, I tend to design building elevations with a layered effect that attempts to blur the climatic boundaries of architecture.’ the wall that wraps around the translucent tourist information center is not to be mistaken as a secondary element, as it holistically unites the box and the courtyard, while its blue-and-white striped finish acquires a flattening effect. the building’s design and appearance draws from its close proximity to the sea, while its lightweight polycarbonate and perforated steel structure responds to the strong ocean winds.

‘what aranya keeps on emphasizing and reminding me is the ocean,’ continues yu ting, ‘this made me think of the pattern of sea-striped shirts that is immediately associated with sailors. i decided to use this pattern to cover completely this wall and grounds.’ the stripes create an optical illusion effect that distorts the elevation of the structure. 

project info:

name: aranya visitor center

architect: wutopia lab

chief architect: yu ting

project architect: zhilin mu

design team: dali pan, wutian sun

location: qinhuangdao, china

total floor area: 35 square meters

material: glass curtain wall, steel plate, coating, floor paint