About
"We works for present in the future." Various Associates’s design philosophy centers on rational optimization across architecture, space, products, and concepts, aiming to crafting an original and exciting experience. The studio engages in the design and research of high-quality, experimental projects. Starting with the programs of space, VA adopts forward-looking perspectives, conduct material research, employ open thinking, challenge conventions, and focus on details and refined quality to create unique value for each project. Every project crafted by Various Associates features its own distinct spatial identity. Additionally, as a collaborative platform for artists and designers, Various Associates seeks to merge creativity and technology to explore the past, present, and future, pushing the boundaries of design creation.
As a creative design studio, Various Associates continually explores and creates new possibilities. Its design services encompass commercial and retail spaces, F&B, exhibition spaces (for cities, enterprises, and cultural and fashion purposes), complexes, hotels, schools, public buildings, single-family houses, urban planning, and more. It strives to propose new solutions from fundamental and energy consumption perspectives, including material research, product R&D, and design. Cross-disciplinary cooperation remains a key direction for Various Associates. So far, it has won numerous prestigious international design awards, and its works have been frequently featured in various professional media outlets worldwide, including FRAME, Domus, Wallpaper, Archdaily, Designboom, and gooood, etc.
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FUTURE CITY
Exhibition Center
Year: 2023
Location:Shenzhen, China
Client: CR Land
Project category:
Interior design/facade design
The history of Luohu can be traced back to the removal of Luohu Mountain, undertaken to create a 1.3-square-kilometer golden area in Shenzhen. The buildings people now recognize, like the Shenzhen Development Center and Shenzhen Railway Station, stand on land that was once part of Luohu Mountain.
The Golden Business Center, a hallmark of "Golden Luohu", is one of Shenzhen's earliest urban landmarks completed not long after the city opened up. Constructed in 2003, this building embodies the architectural style prevalent during that period, notably recognized by citizens for its golden hue. To harmoniously integrate the new exhibition center with the existing structure, it becomes crucial to establish an appropriate design scale for the exhibition space's facade while preserving the style of the original building. To achieve this delicate balance, Various Associates ingeniously incorporated hollowed-out patterns inspired by the city fabric with a golden facade, to echo the original architectural features and establish a connection between the original structure and the new space.
The design team aimed to convey an essential tension on the facade with a contrast of solidness and lightness. Anticipating challenges such as the impact of the internal structure on the hollowed-out patterns, and general issues in an elongated cantilever, such as wind resistance and potential material deformation, the team opted for casting techniques involving acrylic and hollowed-out metal to tackle these technical hurdles. The finished cantilevered external facade now stands as the first super-large craftwork in China, boasting a nearly 30-meter-long facade cast with acrylic, achieved without the use of any metal screws.
As natural light filters through the hollowed-out patterns, it creates light effects with softened outlines. Visitors can sense the passage of time in the shifting interplay of light and shadows. As they traverse the passageway bathed in dappled light, they will reach the entrance of the exhibition center.
Immediately following the passageway, visitors will reach the first exhibition center, dedicated to narrating stories about the city's past. The design team crafted a sleek and minimalist dark-toned space, placing visitors in a gray area to enhance their perception of colored images depicting the city's history on a suspended platform.
As natural light filters through the hollowed-out patterns, it creates light effects with softened outlines. Visitors can sense the passage of time in the shifting interplay of light and shadows. As they traverse the passageway bathed in dappled light, they will reach the entrance of the exhibition center.
Immediately following the passageway, visitors will reach the first exhibition center, dedicated to narrating stories about the city's past. The design team crafted a sleek and minimalist dark-toned space, placing visitors in a gray area to enhance their perception of colored images depicting the city's history on a suspended platform.
As the backdrop transitions into its static mode, the models of buildings unveil their most basic outlines against a gradient skyline. The clean and softened background enables visitors to concentrate their gaze, immersing themselves in an ethereal sense of the future within a boundless space.
The urban exhibition center of Future City in Hubei area of Luohu incorporates a diverse array of elements, including the real and the virtual, brightness and darkness, light and shadows, the tangible and the ethereal, and reflections of both past and future. Leveraging materials and spatial relations, the design team curated varied experiences and emotional resonance within a confined interior space. Each door entrance offers visitors a journey through different timelines of the city, culminating in a return to their present lives.
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