MAD Architects MAD建筑事务所

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

YABULI ENTREPRENEURS' CONGRESS CENTER

MAD Architects

ARCHITECTS
MAD Architects

STATUS
Built

YEAR
2021

LOCATION
Shangzhi, Harbin, China

CATEGORY
Commercial › Exhibition Center Cultural › Hall/Theater Museum

"Yabuli, in Northeastern China, is known for its rugged terrain and frigid temperatures, particularly its snow-capped mountains and innocent snowfields.

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center
Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

It's also home to annual summits hosted by the China Entrepreneur Forum (CEF) – an internationally known economic platform considered as the ‘Davos of Asia’.

In 2017, the CEF decided to construct a permanent venue for itself, and commissioned MAD to design a building that embodies and showcases the ambitions, ideologies and forward critical thinking of the greater entrepreneurial industry in China.

Cited along the axis of a mountain, MAD’s design is a tent-like structure that is defined by soft, sloping lines.

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center
Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

Casually mirroring its mountainous backdrop, it reaches a maximum height of 24 meters, allowing it to settle quietly into the landscape.

While humble in its presence, it doesn't lose the dynamic atmosphere of northern China – integrated with the sky, the ground, the snow, the forest, and the mountains.

Organized over four floors, the scheme encompasses a museum, a small and large auditorium (356-seats and 1000-seats respectively), a series of conference rooms and studios, and additional exhibition areas throughout.

The focal point is a skylight positioned at the centre of the roof that allows natural light to flood into the interior.

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center
Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

It acts as a symbolic metaphor for the bright ideas and brilliant discussions generated during the events held within.

Windows throughout have been positioned so that even from indoors, people can enjoy uninterrupted panoramic views of the surrounding natural scenery throughout the seasons.

Public plazas located at both the entrance and posterior of the building open up towards the natural backdrop creating a dialogue between architecture and nature.

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center
Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

The chameleonic existence of the design’s reflective exterior expresses how the architecture relates and changes state with its surroundings, making a subtle, but powerful statement in its unique context."

Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center
Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Center

MAD Architects MAD建筑事务所
T +86 10 64026632
MAD Architects MAD建筑事务所
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