Shekou Cultural and Sports Park / Tanghua Architects

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Text description provided by the architects.In the past, sports and cultural facilities in China were often designed with iconic, exaggerated forms. However, recent trends have shifted towards focusing on the experience of the site and its connection to the surrounding urban environment. The Shekou Cultural and Sports Park proposal responds to this human-centered era, emphasizing public engagement, accessibility, and a blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, while maintaining a strong sense of place. The site is a medium-sized public park on reclaimed land, surrounded by high-density residential communities. We aimed to preserve the park's character by dividing the site into two equal parts: the park and the main building. The park features winding pathways, undulating lawns, and sheltered public squares of various sizes, creating a welcoming, versatile space for different activities and providing a public area open to all.The building's three levels are designed to meet the functional requirements within a height of 24 meters, maintaining a high-low-high structure that accommodates the "sports-culture-sports" program. The openness of the ground planes allows public access even when the functional spaces are closed, offering diverse activity spaces. A sunken plaza at the basement level introduces natural light and air to additional spaces. To ensure comfort, we carefully adjusted the scale and proportions of platforms and stairways, avoiding a rushed ascent.The public areas maintain transparency and accessibility, generating varying levels of interaction and spatial diversity. The building materials are chosen to reflect architectural elements like walls, ceilings, and floors, using a 1x1 meter modular system that emphasizes the building's modern aesthetic and construction logic. The contrast between fluid concrete and precise metal components distinguishes structural and non-structural elements.The main building is located on the eastern half of the site and follows a modernist design adapted to Southern China's humid climate. Its layout uses multiple horizontal ground planes, extending the park and city into the building. The design blurs the boundary between the interior and exterior, responding to the climate by providing shading and natural ventilation. Functional spaces are arranged transparently on elevated planes, while service areas such as elevators, restrooms, and utility rooms are concentrated in vertical concrete shafts.Ventilation ducts are integrated into the outdoor ceiling space, with vents at the interior/exterior boundaries, maximizing ceiling height and enhancing the sense of openness when transitioning between indoors and outdoors, particularly on the second floor. Despite its modern design, the building's prominent presence within the park recalls traditional pavilions due to its expansive views and the park's scenic depth. The meandering pathways in the landscape further imbue the park with qualities of regional architecture and traditional gardens, though expressed in a non-traditional way. Inside, the design reflects the functional requirements of each space. The swimming pool and changing rooms use oceanic colors, while the second-floor cultural space incorporates warm wood materials for comfort.The bookstore interior contrasts the flowing spatial design with the building's grid-like structure, and the sports areas feature vibrant, dynamic colors against the building's grey tones, creating a striking environment for athletic activities. Since its opening, the park has become popular, serving as a venue for a variety of outdoor activities, including group dancing and children's play, especially for local residents and nearby schools. The building hosts a wide range of sports and cultural programs, attracting visitors from acrossShenzhen, offering an open, modern space for social interaction.