archstudio incorporates large internal courtyards into dingshi logistics office in china

archstudio has designed the office for a logistics company, located in an industrial park on the outskirts of tangshan in northern china. the new building sits in the middle of the expansive plot, surrounded by gardens on the north and west sides, while to the south is a large courtyard and parking lot. considering the scale of the intervention (85 meters long and 50 meters wide) the architects planned the layout by incorporating courtyards and provided various indoor and outdoor areas based on functional needs and circulation routes, creating a light-filled, green and pleasant working environment.

the south façade

all images © wang ning

the office by archstudio consists of two floors, which present very different atmospheres. the first floor is enclosed and inward-facing, while the second is open and outward-facing. this contrast highlights the horizontal layout of the overall space as the building has a ‘floating’ rooftop, a solid pedestal and a transparent space in between. several double-height courtyards separate the first floor into three blocks. in this way, each room on is connected to a semi-outdoor area, ensuring ample daylight and natural ventilation

the main entrances front courtyard

the second floor has a large area of glass curtain walls, which mark off various functional spaces of different scales and also enable indoor activities to be easily extended to outdoor terraces. six bridges link the three blocks of the building, generating efficient circulation routes throughout the office.

the east façade

archstudio has created a double-height reception lobby to face the front courtyard, which presents a striking first impression. the first floor is composed of various work spaces, including small and medium-sized offices, an open working area, a conference room, a multifunctional hall that can accommodate 300 people, a finance office, and a settlement office. working areas of different departments are separated but at the junctions of circulation routes, some leisure areas are included to allow people to take a break and socialize.

the reception desk

three indoor and two outdoor staircases lead to the second floor. the space organization on the upper level is more flexible and contains several large offices, an expansive conference room, a multimedia room, a reading area, a fitness room and the staff canteen. the transparent glass walls closely connect each room to outside terraces and roof gardens, and integrate interior and outdoor spaces into a whole.

courtyard on the 1st floor

the office building is characterized by a restrained material palette, which focuses on the logic relationship between materials and space and integration between interiors and exteriors. red brick is used as the main cladding as it a type of material commonly seen in the local surrounding architecture. according to positions, space openings and functional requirements, bricks were laid in different ways, presenting various formations and visual effects. apart from bricks, steel materials were also repeatedly utilized, which can be found on indoor and outdoor bridges, staircases, door and window frames, and some counter surfaces within the space.

corridor on the 1st floor

the entire architecture is covered by a 4,000-square-meter flat roof and sun-shading grilles formed by aluminum strips. the grilles draw on the linear form of the building and the surrounding farmland. each strip features width variations and perforated surfaces, allowing light to filter down, and thereby turning the building and courtyard beneath into a ‘forest’ of light and shadows.

the cafe

night view of the courtyard

staff canteen on the 2nd floor

the terrace outside the canteen

terrace on the 2nd floor

aerial view from the north

project info:

project name: dingshi logistics office building

location: tangshan, hebei, china

design firm: archstudio 

chief designer: han wenqiang

architectural design: jiang zhao, hu bo, kuai xinyu, zhang yong (structure), zheng baowei, yu yan, wang fu (MEP)

interior & landscape design: jiang zhao, hu bo, zhu yawei, huang tao

coordinating design firm: fengrun architecture practice

site area: 87,047.74 ft2 (8,087 m2)

construction area: 49,696.97 ft2 (4,617 m2)

main materials: brick, glass, aluminum panel, terrazzo

design phase: march 2017 – june 2017

construction phase: march 2018 – march 2019

text: han wenqiang

photography: wang ning

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