International Creative Union Center, Haining China – 2013

In a quiet, flat plain along the Qiantang River in Haining, China, a new city is to be created: the International Creative Union Center Haining (ICUC). So far, only rice fields exist in this area. The basic idea for the urban design is the character of the Chinese garden: dense and confusing, guiding us into a heterotopic space full of surprises and creating a connection between the real world of architecture and the romantic elements of the landscape.

The urban concept is based on the proposed subdivision of four quarters: the university, studio apartments / villas, student apartments and an office complex. These quarters are connected by a broad public path which is designed as public green space oriented east to west. At the center of this path is the museum which creates a central place connecting all the quarters and all the different topographic levels.