U-center Inn

[INFO]

Architecture

2020, Beijing, China

[DESCRIPTION]

This is a program located in WUDAOKOU, one of the busiest crossroads in Beijing. There stands one tall building named U-CENTER, for which reason, well, maybe, the crossroad is given the honored nickname of Universe Center.

This project aimed to construct a medium-standard hotel right on the site, offering accommodation for flurish of businessmen and tourists. It seems that there will be another grandiose volume uprising just following the unstopped step of revolution of cosmopolitans. This is a perfect chance rethinking how such huge monster could provide and sacrifice to the cities.

HISTORY: OLD RAILWAY STATION Beijing-Zhangjiakou

Railway is the first railway built by China and it went across the city of Beijing. Qinghuayuan Station is a passing station in the northwestern suburb of the city. With scale of the city exploding, it is now located between the fifth and fourth ring of Beijing and the traffic brings lots of people and arracts business transcations.

CROSSING ROAD The site is near one of the most crowded and busy crossroad in Beijing which located next to the Wudaokou Subway Station of line 13. The crossing is among a commercial zone with large shopping mall, restaurant, street food, stores and a large supermarket, which serve for nearby residents, pass-by white collar and university students.

BUSY SUBWAY Line 13 is the oldest subway line in Beijing and still carries the most people every weekday, which brings flushing of people especially on mornings and evenings due to the commuters. Also, Chengfu Road is the main road from west to east in the whole block. Thus, the crossing road never lacks people groups waiting for the green light on.

RESPONSE TO THE ENVIRONMENT Opposing the U-center shopping mall and facing the upward subway station, the new volume is rotated towards the intersection and gives a larger face to people crossing the road, which will build a sight gallery which connect the inside and the outside. Anciliary volumes are put backward and low-keyed.

How are people feeling walking on such street in urban area? Sights from different direction are carefully analysed and contribute to the final outcome. Walking from west to the east, the volume looks like a flag, a screen and reflects with the tall residence buildings. Low stores, high buildings and distant uplift station make beautiful layers and strong sense of package in a steel city.