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Exisiting formal public spaces and gardens are popular but highly controlled environments that

don’t allow for spontaneous informal human interaction. We want to challenge this as part of

our over all master plan to increase social interaction, outdoor activity and liveability. In a

collaboration between the library, Buddhist temple and art gallery we propose a cultural centre

based within a contemporary garden space.

The location of the new garden is proposed down towards the lake shore of Taihu Lake. This is

away from the higher density commercial area and in amongst low rise retail and residential.

This location gives the garden the benefit of being located on the lake edge, providing beautiful

scenery, whilst also being at the quieter side of the city to give the users a tranquil setting in a

bustling city.

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The surrounding city landscape is predominately flat, however it is uncommon for Chinese

gardens to be completely flat. From background research it was decided to include the

incorporation of man made landscaping and contours. This will provide the opportunity for

users to explore the garden at different levels and will create opportunities of concealment and

surprise – critical in traditional gardens.

In traditional Chinese classical gardens it is customary to design different zones within the

garden, to create different atmospheres and to evoke different emotions. The exploration of

different zones included looking at overlapping zones with softer transitions and smaller more

intense zones. It was decided to pursue the overlapping zones because it would make the

garden less defined and provide an easier flow around the spaces of the created garden.

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Inspiration:

The Mosque and

Museum of Religious

Harmony

BIG Architects

New cultural complex

comprising of a mosque, an

Islamic centre and a

museum of religious

harmony. This new cultural

complex will not only serve

the Muslim community but

also the surrounding city. It

seeks to educate the general

public about religion, not

only Islam but all religions.

http://flash.big.dk/projects/tir/

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Architecture is an integral part of classical Chinese gardens. As proposed there will be a

minimum of three buildings comprising of a library, a Buddhist temple and an art gallery. We

explored the relationship between the buildings and agreed upon a layout that allowed for a

strong visual and physical relationship between them. We have also considered the

introduction of a museum at the opposite end of the garden – to encourage use at the other end

of the park and provide all the amenities a cultural centre requires.

John Pawson:

Sackler Crossing Bridge

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