Climate

The Yuci District covers an area of 1 328 km2 (49,9 km east to west, 53,7 km north to south) and is part of the Taiyuan built up area, home to nearly 5 million people. it is the political, economic, cultural, educational, scientific and technological center of Jinzhong Prefecture. Its temperate monsoon climate is characterized by warm, wet summer months and cool, dry winters with an annual average temperature of around 9.8o °C. Receiving an annual 2662 hours of sunshine and 418-483 mm of rainfall defines Yuci as a favourable area for many forms of agriculture. Advanced irrigation systems, combined with Yuci’s mild climate and fertile soil create excellent conditions for agricultural production.

Agriculture

Yuci’s agriculture past has met with 21st century technologies and products to promote the steady growth of many crops such as corn, wheat, sorghum, millet, soybean, mung bean, buckwheat, naked oats, millet and other grains. Yuci is famous in Shanxi Province for its dongyang cabbage, green onions, garlic, and pumpkins.

Ambition

The Agritec Demonstration Park is defined around a green theme. The Greenhouses offer space for plant production, leisure and education. This, combined with the unexpected beauty of the valley, hidden from first glance, inspired our innovative idea to distinguish the Park from other developments in China and elsewhere in the world. Instead of the traditional archetypal buildings which rise to the sky and dominate the landscape, we see the opportunity created by nature to consider the valley already as a building. In an alliance with nature we design adaptations which house the special activities of the Park. In this way, nature and design work together and strengthen each other.

Functions

1. Production

2. Education

3. Leisure & Entertainment

Quantities of the programmed elements

Landscape Parking (300 cars)

Meeting Centre ( 5000 m2)

Valley Hotel initially 3 floors ( 3000 m2)

Eco Restaurant 4 floors (8000 m2)

Wedding Centre 10 floors ( 3000 m2)

2.1 Landscape Parking

Making use of the natural landscape, the cars smoothly vanish in the parking area. The rows of parking spaces follow the sloping landscape down to the valley floor. Green walls and pergolas provide physical and visual shelter over the cars. The circulation allows the cars to drive down and back up the valley seamlessly. The location of the parking is key to the masterplan and allows access to all of the Park’s elements, directly linking with the eco-restaurant, meeting center, growing-allotments and glasshouse productions.

There are small parking plots directly related to the individual Park elements which serve the different functions. Bus parking is located behind the production green houses so that people can be dropped at different stops related to their intended activity and be picked up for going home.

2.2 Storage Dike

The idea of the Storage Dike is primarily to block passing road traffic, provide an extensive storage facility and to act as a landscape feature.

Facing the future important road north of the production greenhouses, the Storage Dike becomes the entrance to the array of different buildings and activities behind. The green image of the park is presented by the green Dike covered with flowers in the summer. Windmills on top generate sustainable energy. At the same time, the Dike is a building, in line with the the philosophical theme of the masterplan. It houses product storage for the greenhouses and includes necessary loading docks. The mass of the dike is perfect for stabilising the internal temperature. At this side of the Park the logistics for professional worktraffic are organised.

2.3 Meeting Centre

People meet here to learn, to exchange, to grow. Part of the space is for demonstration purposes of agricultural products or techniques. Since this centre has a flexible division of space, many different activities can be housed in the building. Spaces can be small for groups of twelve people, or connected together so that large events can be housed. Related to the green theme of the Agritec Park, the spaces are connected by green patios which are covered with glass. These spaces can be dependant on peoples’ wishes, either becoming part of the space they are using or functioning as a closed-off semi-outdoor space.

3.1 Entertainment Lake

The water experience is combined with performances on the island podium in the Lake. The form of the Lake is determined by the knowledge of how people perceive space. The strong curves hide the full view from certain points, while suggesting an ongoing space from others. By doing so, the borderline is lengthened giving more space for activities and intensifing the possible interaction with the Lake.

The performance platform is at the same time a wine- tasters clubhouse. The outside has a natural appearance, the inside is a space created not only by walls but also by bottles, an experience of light reflecting through the glass of the bottles, entering the room through an array of windows with the dynamic reflections of moving water.

Concept Restaurant

Impression

Impression

Impression

Impression

At the meeting centre people gather to learn, to exchange, to grow. Part of the space is for demonstration purposes of agricultural products or techniques. Since this centre has a flexible division of space, many different activities can be housed in the building. Spaces can be small for groups of twelve people, or connected together so that large events can be housed. Related to the green theme of the Agritec Park, the spaces are connected by green patios covered with glass. These spaces can be dependant on peoples’ wishes, either becoming part of the space they are using or functioning as a closed-off semi-outdoor space.

The final conceptual design for Yuci's Agritech Demonstration Park: A multi-function exhibition/conference/workshop space. Approx 8,400m2 of glazed greenhouses and modular units- designed to be opened and closed depending on functional requirements. Inspired by traditional Chinese Courtyards, the design also includes a central cantine where visitors can gather and socialise during conferences, exhibitions and workshops.

The concept behind the Eco-Restaurant is one of co-existance with the natural surroundings. It presents itself suspended from the edges of the existing valley walls. It is derived from the initial idea of a Treeglass house combined with a restaurant. It has four dining levels and VIP pods. The floors have holes in different positions, allowing light and sight through in surprising ways.

Green platforms hang from above. They seperate the large space into different, smaller, more intimate dining spaces. Their height can be changed so that the 1st floor can be fully free for large events. There is a large kitchen to cope with the large-scale dining and activities.

With part of the restaurant being submerged into the valley, natural light is brought into the restaurant through sky lights. The large structure of roof and facades is constructed using a tension and membrane system. This allows for a larger floor area at lower construction cost. By using the membrane, the restaurant’s exterior can both protect the interior from the natural elements but also give a degree of permeability that allows natural light to flow through and increase the feeling of being within the nature of the landscape.