Ideas Lab by LI Xiang
14/03/2018.
[Shanghai] China
metalocus, PABLO SEBASTIÁN
metalocus, PABLO SEBASTIÁN
Through the addition of the Age of Steam and the Age of Information, the architect Li Xiang creates a commercial and work space where users interact mainly with current technology, the compositional base of the project itself. Ideas Lab unifies two aspects of technological advances and two types of users, creating a multifunctional but homogeneous space.
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, first floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Stairs. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Interior, second floor. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Washroom. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Washroom. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail of lamps. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail of lamps. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Detail. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Exterior. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Exterior. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Exterior. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Exterior. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang. Photograph © SHAO Feng
Ground floor plan. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang © SHAO Feng
First floor plan. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang © SHAO Feng
Render. Ideas Lab by LI Xiang © SHAO Feng
The representation of an industrialized space through a technological base, or vice versa, is the basis of this highly versatile project designed by X+Living. Through pipes and industrial tanks, mixed with a material and minimalist delicacy, the architect unifies a work area and a small commercial area, where consumers can benefit from the work of R&D personnel on the second floor. The activities are reflected in turn by the industrial design of the space, based on tanks, platforms and pipes, conserving the most basic and visual functional parts of this style.
Description of project by X+Living
Starting from the West, industrial revolution had began to affect the change of times throughout the world since the 1760s; the invention and application of the new power machine—steam engine marked the beginning of the Age of Steam. Plants facilities with oil tanks and steel pipes had become an important symbol of that glorious age, what's more, what hidden behind these symbols is the power that starts the capitalist world system.
With the advent and popularity of computers in the 21st century, the invisible Information Age deduced and changed the humanity and commercial mode of this physical world. Powerlong Ideas Lab hopes to be a lab where more information for learning are created and spread. And hoping to complete the joint research and development of information technology by consumers and information technology creators, it explores the hidden business value of this era through a multifunctional space.
There is no iconic symbols for Information Age, the amount and efficiency of information is the first perception. So while designing this lab, we based on and mapped the symbol of the previous era, for that they share something alike: for example, they are both equipped with subversive technology and research and both are very enlightening to the development of business.
For the shape of the whole space, though we take factories of the Age of Steam as the prototype, we cut off the complex parts, and kept only the most basic functional parts, which includes practical compositions such as reaction tanks, energy delivery pipes and walking platforms for engineers. These main functional parts also reflect corresponding activities which are going to happen here.
We demolished the floor slabs in the original two storied space, and turn it into a space of 8 or 9 meters' high. We restored the ground space with a minimalist approach, and designed devices which offers new retail experience in the "reaction tanks". Consumers could have different new consumption experience brought by different devices in different tanks. And we reconstructed the floor slab in the 4-5meters high space; they are interweaved with the "reaction tanks" we restored and acted as shared work and transportation platform for R&D staffs on the second floor. In this way, staffs are working on the platforms in the air while consumers downstairs are experiencing commercial experience brought by new technology and informationization. The sight interaction in this high space makes them feel the existence of each other and makes the space more interesting. "Energy delivery pipes" are used to hide wires as well as cables of the air conditioning, so industrial designs exposed in the space are simplified by this refined way of decoration, utilities pipelines which should have been exposed in the space are hidden perfectly in this post-built "energy deliver pipes". For parts of the space, such tubes are used on the ground, and a series of tables and chairs are made according to the shape of the tubes, this adds to the whole space a sense of layering and creates different sense of composition for this space.
The designer hopes to express her revolutionary feelings in this Information Age through this concept design. Clean and cool concrete is applied to depicts the concise and efficient character of this space. And through vertical generatrix and sight line, she hopes to create a multifunctional composite office and commercial model, where R&D staffs can share the space while consumers can enjoy the same art space.
More information
Design
LI Xiang
Design team
FAN Chen, YAN Xiafei and CHEN Xue
Design company
X+Living
Developer
Powerlong Group
Times
Completion time.- 0.8.01.2018
Area
Total area.- 1100m²
Li Xiang
Li Xiang, graduated from the Birmingham City University and authenticated by Architecture association of RIBA. Established X+Living in 2011. Cross-field to Interior Design won several prestigious award, representative works are the most beautiful Zhongshuge bookstore series; Ripple Hotel - Qiandao Lake, Neobio Family Park, Wheat Youth Arts Hotel, and Jooos Fitting Room.
In 2015 founded her own furniture brand with the ideology of environmental friendly, quality and spreading joy; adding in a touch of humor and minimalist.
She has received numerous awards. In 2017: Successful Design – Most Successful Design Award; Andrew Martin – The International Interior Designer of the Year Award; AD100 Most influential Chinese Designers; Prix Versailes Award - Best Retail Space Award; FRAME 20 Years - 20 Creatives Defining the Future; Italy A Design award - Two Gold Awards. In 2016: American Interior Design – The Best Bookstore Space Award; PChouse Modern Design Awards – The Annual Youth Designer Leader; Successful Design – Most Successful Design Award; CIID INTERIOR DESIGN CHINA – BEST Commercial Space Award. In 2015: 2015-2016 China Interior Design cover of the year; Forbes china’s 30 Most Promising Designers; I-ding Award – Hotel Space Gold Award; best 100 interior design – best ecospace Award; CIID Award. In 2014: Design for Asia Awards 2014 - Bronze Award; CIID INTERIOR DESIGN CHINA Commercial Space Award. And in 2013: PERSPECTIVE AWARD 2013 Commercial, Retail or office Award.
In 2015 founded her own furniture brand with the ideology of environmental friendly, quality and spreading joy; adding in a touch of humor and minimalist.
She has received numerous awards. In 2017: Successful Design – Most Successful Design Award; Andrew Martin – The International Interior Designer of the Year Award; AD100 Most influential Chinese Designers; Prix Versailes Award - Best Retail Space Award; FRAME 20 Years - 20 Creatives Defining the Future; Italy A Design award - Two Gold Awards. In 2016: American Interior Design – The Best Bookstore Space Award; PChouse Modern Design Awards – The Annual Youth Designer Leader; Successful Design – Most Successful Design Award; CIID INTERIOR DESIGN CHINA – BEST Commercial Space Award. In 2015: 2015-2016 China Interior Design cover of the year; Forbes china’s 30 Most Promising Designers; I-ding Award – Hotel Space Gold Award; best 100 interior design – best ecospace Award; CIID Award. In 2014: Design for Asia Awards 2014 - Bronze Award; CIID INTERIOR DESIGN CHINA Commercial Space Award. And in 2013: PERSPECTIVE AWARD 2013 Commercial, Retail or office Award.
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