Nestled on the edge of the Pearl River Delta, the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex by Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron unfolds as a thoughtfully woven tapestry of nine cultural programs. Rather than treating each function in isolation, the design knits together library, performance, exhibition, and community spaces into a single, yet legible, urban landmark.
A Vision from Atelier Apeiron
When Atelier Apeiron enteredand wonthe 2018 competition, lead architect Yunchao Xu brought a philosophy of continuous inquiry (hence the name Apeiron). Faced with nine independent departmentsfrom a science museum to a youth activity centerthe team proposed integrating them under one overarching gesture. By granting each pavilion relative autonomy within a unified masterplan, conflicts around circulation, scale, and identity were resolved through strategic overlaps, shared volumes, and a consistent material palette of glass, wood, and bamboo.
Integrating Nine Disciplines under One Roof
At the base, three inverted-catenary arches carve into the volume, each marking the threshold to one of three urban living rooms: the Knowledge Hall, Performance Hall, and Exhibition Hall. This geometric move creates large-scale porosity in a dense setting, allowing views to the adjacent park and drawing daylight deep into the heart of the complex via skylights and diffuse reflectors. The arches also serve structurally, translating lateral typhoon forces into vertical loadsa nod to both Eastern and Western arch traditions.
Crafting Spaces for Community Life
Inside, the Knowledge Hall riffs on Helsinkis Oodi Library, stacking crystal book blocks into a vertical village of reading nooks and informal gathering spots. The Performance Hall combines a broad open stage with a black-box theater, accommodating everything from orchestral concerts to experimental dance. In the Exhibition Hall, punctured cheese holes in the ceiling introduce shifting shafts of light, setting a mutable backdrop for art and science installations. Above, a sequence of four rooftop platformsfrom a semicircular stage and childrens play deck to a shared garden and rain gardenextends the cultural program into the sky.
Responding to Climate and Context
Hengqins typhoon season and silty island soils demanded technical rigor. After testing wind-resistant façades, the team settled on a lightweight suspended glass curtain wall. Below, a sealed basement raft with anchoring piles stabilizes the structure on soft ground. Sustainable strategieslocal sourcing, material reuse, passive daylighting, and reduced reliance on air conditioningunderscore the projects low-carbon aspirations without calling attention to them.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Hengqin Culture & Art Complex |
| Location | Hengqin Island, China (GuangdongMacau In-Depth Cooperation Zone) |
| Client | Zhuhai Gree Construction Investment Co., Ltd. |
| Project Sector/Typology | Cultural |
| Project Start | 2018 |
| Project Completion | 2024 |
| Total Area | 142,560 m² (1,534,503 ft²) |
| Architecture Firm | Yunchao Xu / Atelier Apeiron |
| Lead Architect | Yunchao Xu |
| Designers/Architects Team | Jiachuan Qi; Hongrui Liu; Kan Gao; Guohong Li; Zhendong Shi; Jianxuan Chen; Shengjie Zhang; Kun Qian; Kai Liao; Zheng Xu; Zhen Shen |
| Technical Designer CAD | SZAD |
| Contractors | Zhuhai Gree Construction Investment Co., Ltd. |
| Constructors | Zhuhai Jianan Group Co., Ltd. |
| Engineers | SZAD |
| Interior Designers Collaborators | Ruan Bin Design |
| Landscape Architects | GVL Green View Landscape Group |
| Lighting Consultant | GD Lightning |
| Acoustics Consultants | Zhongfutai Architecture Construction Co., Ltd. |
| HVAC | SZAD |
| Sustainable Components | – Local sourcing and procurement – Reusing materials – Lower carbon footprint – Economically sustainable – Less air conditioning |