Nanjing Jiangbei Civic Center / MENG Architects

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Text description provided by the architects. Nanjing, renowned as the ancient capital of six dynasties, has seen urbanization mainly on the south bank of the Yangtze River. In 2015, in order to give full play to the city's leading role in innovation-driven development and new urbanization, and promote the development of south Jiangsu and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the State Council officially approved the establishment of the nearly 788 km2 Jiangbei New District, kicking off large-scale urban development of the city on the north bank of the river. The Central Business and Social District, located in the core of the New District with the Yangtze River as the boundary and Laoshan Mountain as the background, is the kick-off area of the New District. In addition to infrastructure construction, the New District government intends to accelerate the development of the Central Business and Social Area by launching a series of public cultural building projects, and the Civic Center is one of the first key projects. The Project is sited in the open urban space at the intersection of Central Avenue (now called Dingshan Street) and Binjiang Avenue. Rising at the gateway to the New District and backed by the super high-rise cluster of the Central Business and Social Area, the Project overlooks the main urban area of Nanjing across the river. As the starting point of the north-south urban spatial corridor of the district, the site boasts a unique urban and natural landscape. The total site area is about 5.5 hm2 and the originally planned GFA was about 53,000 m2 (later increased to about 75,600 m2 subject to functional adjustment).

In the early phase of the competition, the client expected a complex that integrate civic activities, public services, planning and exhibition functions, etc. to serve the citizens and enterprises in the New District and realize the "urban parlor" development vision. Traditional urban public buildings, subject to singular functionality and limited accessibility, tend to look stereotyped and unwelcoming. In contrast with real and vivid scenes in urban life, activities in public buildings are often too "formal" and "rigid". Therefore, it is hoped that the design of Jiangbei Civic Center will not only exhibit a high level of urban recognizability but also closely center on the real needs of people's life. In this way, diversified scenes can be created as a source of urban vitality. The site is a triangular plot in proximity to the waterfront landscape (of the Yangtze River), with a site level nearly 3m lower than the riverbank of the Yangtze River. How to resolve the difference in elevation and create an open, generous, and friendly place has become a key focus in design. Taking circular shapes as the motif, the design eases the relationship with the surrounding urban areas and tries to extend the open riverscape into the site through natural sloping, hence establishing a landscape clue connecting Laoshan Mountain with the Yangtze River and the city with people. Most of the site is designed into an open urban park, and the artificial boundary of the original triangular site is thus softened by meandering grassland and gently undulating green hills and slopes, tactfully dissolving the height difference of the site into a continuous landscape interface. This fenceless approach facilitates the public accessibility of the site from all directions and provides a diverse spatial experience to visitors. The interaction and integration of rustic charm with modern architecture also trigger a series of civic activities.

Inspired by the idea of a "slowly opening treasure box", the Project is designed into two giant "circular boxes" 104 m in diameter and 16 m in height. The two stacked boxes open slowly, creating a distinctive urban image and open urban spaces. For the sake of actual needs and efficiency, functions such as public service, civic activities, and science education are placed in the lower box, and, following design program adjustment together with the client, some function more related to people's daily life, such as art display, performing arts training, science education for children, creative space, etc., are added to make the project a functional cluster that can truly satisfy the needs for civic activities. To highlight the local characteristics, an oriental-style multi-level garden is implanted into the lower box. This garden featuring bridges over flowing water and pavilions is closely connected with the urban park via open access, realizing a consistent natural landscape both internally and externally. The corridor, as a typical element of traditional gardens, connects modern functions such as training, creativity, science education, and bookstore, offering a unique experience of encountering different views during one's walk around the garden. The courtyards, instead of the traditional distribution hall, have become a second place for civic activities in addition to the designated functions and ensure proper openness of the garden. While trying to restore the spatial elements of traditional Chinese gardens, we also expect a dialogue established between modernity and tradition.

In the upper box is the urban planning exhibition hall, with an ultra-long escalator leading to the exhibition functions here. In order to create precise structural, architectural, and spatial logic, 4 sets of symmetrical gigantic column cores are planned to support the upper box where the atrium is placed at the center. Around the atrium are functions organized into street-/lane-style spaces, connecting the physical mock-up area, digital sand table area, regular exhibition halls, and supporting spaces like conferences and offices. Along the way, people weave through spaces of varied sizes and forms, as if wandering through stretching streets and alleys. Suspended up to 16m high, a distinctive sky exhibition hall is created, where people can explore the future of the New District while enjoying the stunning beauty of the Yangtze River and downtown Nanjing. Both the upper and lower boxes are evenly wrapped by white blinds, which, in the alteration of day and night, makes the Civic Center looks like a "treasure box" opening slowly. This lively and dreamy image also inspires people's interest in exploring the "treasure box". For the convenience of people's daily life, commercial, F&B, service, supporting functions, etc. are added in the underground space on top of the original program. Two sunken squares, one interior, and one exterior, connect the two ends of the underground space with the inner courtyard and square, creating a well-ventilated and daylit "market" full of vitality. The market, with favorably mixed business formats, can be separately open to the public for all-weather operation. This well supplements the functions of the project, avoids the cold and unpractical image commonly seen in public buildings, and offers friendly public services and a unique spatial experience.

In our design, we always keep in mind our original intent to create diversified scenes. In fact, lasting urban vitality usually comes from diversified spaces, while scenes following a specific order are often seen in ancient and modern cities around the world. For example, Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival vividly conveys the vitality of Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, more than one thousand years ago by portraying the landscape of the ancient capital and life scenarios of different social strata through continuous segments of countryside, gardens, streets and alleys, markets, etc., and evenly distributing them on the two-dimensional painting scroll. Inspired by this, we try to reconstruct the fragments of Oriental life in the three-dimensional spaces of the Civic Center, in an effort to show the unique charm of Nanjing. With another look at our design, we notice that the main functions of the Civic Center, and the decrease of their public attributes and frequency of use are in vertical distribution pattern, while the diversified scenes like countryside, gardens, markets, streets, and alleys create a complex and varied space cluster in and outside the building. When this volume resembling a classical Chinese treasure box is slowly opened, people are attracted from all around the area explore and experience the project. They may hike in the countryside, linger around the gardens, stroll along the streets and alleys, or hang out in the market. The traditional Oriental connotation of the planar painting scroll is thus reconstructed into three-dimensional architecture, reflecting the profound history and bright future of the city.

During the project implementation, the Project received strong support from the government departments, Client, AESEU, China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd., and many other parties involved in the Project. Together we have tackled many technical challenges to accomplish the first super-weight, large-diameter, rigid-flexible steel structure truss lifting project in China, and to apply the "hydrostatic leveling of lower lifting point for dynamic process monitoring" technology for the first time. Meanwhile, the project team also worked in collaboration with specialty teams in developing the spindle aluminum louver (patented) for integrated functions of shaping, shading, floodlighting, and media curtain wall, realizing the "white and dreamy" building image to a high completion level and present design intent of a "treasure box" vividly in an urban setting.