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Paul Lukez Architecture breaks ground on sustainable multi-use development in China

Paul Lukez and his team at Paul Lukez Architecture (PLA) are masters of sustainable design, and they’ve debuted a new project for a Chinese building developer that provides further evidence of that reputation.

The Jindu Sustainable Pavilion in the city of Hangzhou is a 30,000-square-foot multi-use project the designers describe as “a sustainable utopian environment.” The design represents the combined efforts of a multidisciplinary team of ecologists, historians, scientists, designers, and engineers, most of whom are affiliated with universities near Cambridge, Massachusetts, near PLA’s home office.

PLA collaborated with Jue Zhan and Brooks Mostue to create a plan for a unique, sustainable development that will include more than 1,000 residential units for the growing city of nine million people. Project architects Dan Chen and Craig Hinrichs contributed to the plan, along with designers Benjamin Gramman, Alex Hogrefe, Kezhou Chen, and Jing Cai. Although a key goal of the project was to meet China’s future goals for a reduced environmental impact, the team was also challenged by the requirement to align the design with local culture. This is not a new task for the PLA crew, who have executed many other sustainable architectural projects that blend seamlessly with existing structures and landscapes, while elevating the community’s green potential.

The Jindu Sustainable Pavilion, in addition to housing, will include amenities that outside visitors can enjoy as well, including a swimming pool, running track, small gym, and restaurant. An exhibition and meeting space are also part of the design, created in such a way to be adapted to a variety of different types of events. Throughout the development, energy efficient lighting designed by Jeff Berg and Parsons Brinkerhoff illuminate the space. Within an overall rectangular structure, the pavilion will feature multiple floors with open balconies framed by sweeping concrete piers, where residents and guests can look out over a sunken garden in a glass-walled atrium. Atop the concrete piers, the pool is positioned nearly in the center of the building, both from a vertical and horizontal perspective, symbolically honoring the significance of water as a key element of life.

In addition to a nature-oriented design, the structure will also employ a variety of green technologies. Solar cells will be integrated into the glass roof in the stairwell, as well as mounted on the rooftop, to supply clean energy for the building’s operations. Additional micro wind turbines located on the roof will supplement the solar energy generation. Wherever possible, energy efficiency methods are also part of the design, evidenced by the use of reclaimed heat from a local plant for warming the pool. The construction, which is already under way, calls for recycled materials, and eventually hanging gardens will decorate the west facade, softening the harsh concrete and lending a calming green tint as they filter incoming sunlight. That’s just one living green element in the landscape design by C2 Studio, Scott Carmen, and Jane Choi. Once complete, the overall design will be a stunning example of how sustainable architecture can be fit seamless into existing communities.

Paul Lukez Architecture breaks ground on sustainable multi-use development in China

Details

  • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
  • Paul Lukez Architecture (PLA)

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