Dialogue with the mountain. Dragon Mountain Resort by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC
04/03/2024.
[Rizhao] China
metalocus, JORGE MARTINEZ
metalocus, JORGE MARTINEZ
Architecture studio Aurelien Chen and the CSCEC Institute of Urban and Rural Planning and Design have collaborated to design a new natural tourist site near the Chinese city of Rizhao. The place of action is framed by the landscape perspectives that can be observed from its position, which became the central axis when developing the project.
The project is located near two ponds, a feature that the architects used to bifurcate the project into two lanes, one that descends towards the ponds and another that ascends towards the mountain. Another characteristic element of the project is the entrance door, which is conceived not only as a simple door but as an entrance monument.
The project is located near two ponds, a feature that the architects used to bifurcate the project into two lanes, one that descends towards the ponds and another that ascends towards the mountain. Another characteristic element of the project is the entrance door, which is conceived not only as a simple door but as an entrance monument.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph courtesy from Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph courtesy from Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph courtesy from Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Site floor plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Floor plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Floor plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Section plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Elevation plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Elevation plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Elevation plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Elevation plan. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Constructive detail. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Scheme. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Scheme. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Scheme. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Scheme. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Film photography. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Film photography. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Film photography. Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center designed by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC is a project whose primary objective is to create an architecture adapted to the needs and qualities of the rural environment. For this, the architects designed a program that is divided into five architectural elements that are They are located and organized around a small square.
The curved and slender shape of the buildings generates a feeling of purity that creates a series of landscape perspectives that frame the breadth of the mountain. The materiality chosen for the project also helps to generate this sensation.
The stone cladding expresses the concept of mass connected to the Earth and allows a delicate integration with its natural environment and with the local architecture, which together with the contrast of tones and textures of natural bamboo sticks, concrete, solid stone and transparent glass, makes the building a unique project.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph courtesy from Rizhao Fada Jituan.
The curved and slender shape of the buildings generates a feeling of purity that creates a series of landscape perspectives that frame the breadth of the mountain. The materiality chosen for the project also helps to generate this sensation.
The stone cladding expresses the concept of mass connected to the Earth and allows a delicate integration with its natural environment and with the local architecture, which together with the contrast of tones and textures of natural bamboo sticks, concrete, solid stone and transparent glass, makes the building a unique project.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph courtesy from Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Project description by Aurelien Chen
An architectural complex adapting to its natural surroundings
The entrance to Dragon Mountain natural tourist site is marked by a view of the mountain within the axis of the site’s entrance alley. This alley splits into two separate lanes once entered site: one lane climbs up towards the mountain and the other descends slightly towards two small ponds, situated on a lower level and surrounded by trees.
Aiming to adapt the complex to this natural site, the main architectural stance was to fragment the 3,000 sqm surface into five architectural elements adapting to the topography and the natural context of the site. The five architectural elements are situated and organized around a small square.
The design of these buildings is pure and slender. They are low on the side facing the site entrance and they rise up and grow in height towards their mountain side. On their lower side, with their mass, these buildings are connected to the Earth. On their higher side, with their geometry, they reach for the Sky, reminding us that, according to Chinese tradition, the human being is closely connected to the Sky and the Earth, and according to Taoism it is part of a Cosmic Triad with Heaven and Earth.
There is a dialogue between the curved buildings and a tension between volumes and empty spaces. In these empty spaces, landscape perspectives are created in order to frame the mountain.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Entrance Gate
In China, entrances to modern touristic sites usually follow a standard approaching sequence: a public square with a monumental sculpture at its centre followed by an entrance gate reminiscent of the traditional ones, a ticket counter and, lastly, an information and welcome centre.
Here, the entrance gate to the site is incorporated into the architectural composition. It houses the ticket counter on one side and the security staff area on the other. Its mass is both architecture and sculpture. It is a visual landmark and attracts the visitors in the distance.
The gate is composed by three rows of arched walls that, in a way common to urban public spaces, creates and delimits the public square just outside the site. Walls are rooted in the ground and they reach for the sky in their centre, reminding of the mountain peaks and also the verticality of the Cosmic Triad Earth- Human Being – Heaven.
There is no portal. Instead, a void, a void becoming a landscape frame on the mountain peaks far in the distance.
The consecutive walls remind of the fortifications that once surrounded cities and traditional palaces and create a peculiar sequence of approach: in their intervals, the visitor discovers the entrances to each separate building.
Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen and CSCEC. Photograph by Aurelien Chen.
Materials
Stone cladding expresses the concept of mass connected to the Earth and allows a delicate integration of the gate with its natural surroundings and with local architecture.
Raw concrete made from wood formwork reminds of the irregularity of natural elements and can be easily built even by unskilled workers.
A natural screen made of natural bamboo sticks creates a subtle layer between massive concrete/stone and transparent glass.
More information
Architects
Project team
Aurelien Chen, Wu Yixia.
Collaborators
Design Institute.- Urban and rural planning and design institute of CSCEC.
Design team.- Aurelien Chen, Ma Jing, Wang Manyu.
Technical collaborator.- Lifeng Architecture Studio.
Interior design.- out of design scope.
Design team.- Aurelien Chen, Ma Jing, Wang Manyu.
Technical collaborator.- Lifeng Architecture Studio.
Interior design.- out of design scope.
Client
Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Area
1,700 sqm (designed area.- 2,400 sqm).
Dates
2023.
Location
Rizhao, China.
Photography
Aurelien Chen.
Drone photographs courtesy of Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Drone photographs courtesy of Rizhao Fada Jituan.
Aurelien Chen
Aurelien Chen is a French architect, architecture photographer and construction engineer, with 15 years of experience in China. He is also a partner at Zhijian Workshop, a multidisciplinary design studio based in China, France, and Germany.
Aurelien Chen was born in France in 1979. In 2002, he graduated in Construction Engineering specializing in architecture at the "Ecole Speciale des Travaux Publicsen", one of the most representative schools in the European country. After starting to study Architecture, in 2004 he will study a semester at the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Two years later, he will travel again to Beijing where he spent ten months of research in 2006 to finally graduate in Architecture at the School of La Villete in Paris in 2007.
Aurelien Chen has a great career behind him. Being a collaborator of the aforementioned design studio Zhijian Workshop, in 2005 he will work with the Dacbert-Cochet-Chapellier Architects Associates in Paris. From 2007 to 2017 he has also been collaborating with Cui Kai Architecture Studio, an architecture and research studio located in Beijing. For two years, since 2017, he has served as chief architect at CESC China.
Aurelien Chen was born in France in 1979. In 2002, he graduated in Construction Engineering specializing in architecture at the "Ecole Speciale des Travaux Publicsen", one of the most representative schools in the European country. After starting to study Architecture, in 2004 he will study a semester at the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Two years later, he will travel again to Beijing where he spent ten months of research in 2006 to finally graduate in Architecture at the School of La Villete in Paris in 2007.
Aurelien Chen has a great career behind him. Being a collaborator of the aforementioned design studio Zhijian Workshop, in 2005 he will work with the Dacbert-Cochet-Chapellier Architects Associates in Paris. From 2007 to 2017 he has also been collaborating with Cui Kai Architecture Studio, an architecture and research studio located in Beijing. For two years, since 2017, he has served as chief architect at CESC China.
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