Southwest International Ethnic Culture and Art Center

Winning Proposal / Tongji Architectural Design and

Research Institute

16

AUG2013

by Alison Furuto

Cultural China Kunming Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute

13

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Courtesy
of Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
Located in the core area of Kunming Chenggong New C.B.D, the main challenge for the design of the
Southwest International Ethnic Culture and Art Center was to integrate the local cultures plus various
functional programs into one contemporary yet harmonious form. Designed by team members Wang

Wensheng, Damian Donze and Sidney Gong of theTongji Architectural Design and Research
Institute, their winning proposal takes on an abstract path to integrate the local cultures. More images
and architects description after the break.

Courtesy of
Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
The Culture Department of Yunnan Province has conceived the Southwest International Ethnic Culture
and Art Center as a multi-functional international cultural exchange place in order to increase the
protection of the national cultural heritage, to strengthen the cultural relics, to take full advantage of the
rich cultural resources of Yunnan Province, and to deepen cultural exchange and cooperation with
Southeast Asia. The project is 6-stories/36m high, and has a floor area of about 35,000 square meters.

Courtesy of
Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
In the preliminary analysis, we extracted two main aspects for the building to focus on. First, the different
local cultural identities with their traditional dresses, dances and songs. Second, the Hani rice terraces
together with the local subtropical plant diversity.

Courtesy of
Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
The method for the manifestations of cultural identity was an important issue for us. Many cases show
that a growing number of new cultural buildings try to directly imitate traditional buildings or even objects.
Generally speaking, these new buildings build with new construction methods and new materials cant
successfully portray the original. Hence, we decided to refrain from that method in order to take on a more
abstract path which is more fitting to todays situation.

Courtesy of
Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
The footprint of the building was simply derived from the building site while the interior got divided into
four, round parts that were cut by the building outline. This dialog between the outside and the interior
creates a rich spatial effect. The contour of each segment enlarges towards the top, in a cone-like
manner, to the point where they finally intersects. The resulting public atrium is illuminated by a number of
skylights that let the sun shine in. Though the four segments could function individually, they are

interconnected with many pedestrian bridges to ensure the possibility of free movement throughout the
building.

Courtesy of
Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
For the facade, we tried to implement the local cultures in an abstract way. It is made up of alternating
perforated and non-perforated metal panels that cover and protect the building, yet let sunlight enter and
lets people see outside. At each entrance, however, the facade opens up, much like a theater curtain, and
creates the entrance situations. The facade acts like a dress for the building, and in its own way, takes
reference from the local minorities. Even more so at night when the LEDs of the facade create a colorful
play, almost as if the building was dancing its own dance.
Kunming, having a mild climate all year around, is an ideal location to create an extensive landscape
design. Our focus didnt stop at the site itself, though; we gave special attention to the roof. Taking
reference from the surrounding subtropical nature and the Hani terraces, we created a green roof garden.
Most of the roof is laid out like a small park and is reserved for the offices on the top floors. Right in the
middle of the garden, however, there is a great exterior amphitheater with 1000 seats that can host big
cultural events.

masterplan.
Image Courtesy of Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
The underground contains mechanical rooms and an underground parking garage with 169 parking lots.
The first floor of the building is mostly open to the public and accommodates national culture and art
displays, heritage protection spaces and a cafe. From here the building gets divided up into four parts: the
exhibition center in the North, the art academy in the East, the theater in the South and the art studios in
the West.

1st floor plan.

Image Courtesy of Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
Exhibition Center:
Each floor has different types of exhibition spaces for topics such as heritage, culture, art and
photography. The top two floors, however, are occupied by a cinema complex which contains a 100 seat
cinema, a 70 seat cinema and four 56 seat cinemas. This segment is accessible through two panorama
elevators as well as the central escalators that are located between the exhibition segment and the
theater segment.

underground
floor plan. Image Courtesy of Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
Art Academy:
The lower floors contain an art school/education center while the top three floors contain volunteer offices
and accommodation for the aforementioned school.

2nd floor plan.

Image Courtesy of Tongji Architectural Design and Research Institute
Theater:
Located in this segment are: a medium-sized theater with 700 seats, suitable for dramas, dances,
symphonies and other multi-functional activities; a small theater with 300 seats, suitable for theatrical
performances and film viewings; a convention center and an amphitheater on the roof with 1000 seats. To
be able to cope with the large flow of people at the beginning and at the end of a performance, four
elevators were strategically located at two main entrances while additional support was created with the
escalators in the center. All the backstage functions such as: the backstage, a V.I.P. room, admin offices,
production studios and rehearsal studios are located in the back and have their own circulation flow.