Blue Court

Found Projects + Atelier Noirs

ARCHITECTS
Atelier Noirs, Found Projects

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Miaojie Zhang

STRUCTURE
Zhejiang Huazhi Design Institute

MEP
Zhejiang Huazhi Design Institute

LANDSCAPE
Zhejiang Huazhi Design Institute

LIGHTINGD
Ela Lighting

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Zhejiang Gutai Engineering Co., Ltd.

PROGRAM / USE / BUILDING FUNCTION
Sports, Cultural, Public

DESIGN TEAM
Miaojie Zhang, Veronica Smith, Xinhao Li, Tianyu Kan, Weilun Chen

LOCAL DESIGN INSTITUTE
Zhejiang Huazhi Design Institute

COMPETITION ORGANIZER
Shanghai Onetenth Culture And Art Co., Ltd.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Peinan Ren

PHOTOGRAPHS
Atelier Noirs

AREA
927 M²

YEAR
2024

LOCATION
Ningbo, China

CATEGORY
Cultural Architecture, Sports Architecture, Public Architecture

Text description provided by architect.

Located in a seaside park on the southeastern coast of China, Blue Court is a blue concrete basketball court framed by an exposed steel structure. A canopy supported by diagonal steel cables marks the main entrance on the north side.

The entry canopy along with two inward-hanging canopies form a U-shaped arcade and provide shaded space for spectators. Concrete benches along the east and west columns offer villagers a place to rest, socialize, and observe the ocean view.

The basketball court is composed of three layers: the primary steel structural frame, secondary diagonal tension cables, and steel wire net. The alternating density of the cable system creates a diagonal stripe pattern while providing different levels of screening and transparency.

The use of transparency, wire mesh, and tension cables suggests a lightness that suits its atmospheric seaside setting while providing ample structural reinforcement to mitigate coastal winds.

Like many rural villages, this community has seen its younger generation migrate to larger cities for work. The Blue Court functions as both a sports venue and a communal gathering plaza.

Designed to cater to daily village life, it provides a welcoming environment for children and the elderly to gather, play, and connect to each other and the coastal landscape.