LUO Studio add timber frame to abandoned foundations for new community centre
by Stu Robarts | 18 Mar 2020
LUO Studio recently completed a new community centre in Hubei province, China, by adding a timber frame to a set of existing foundations for a residential project that had been abandoned.
It was necessary to find a new home for the Party and Public Service Center of Yuanheguan Village because its existing location had been earmarked to be part of a new hotel development.
What's more, there were only two months in which for the project to be turned around to avoid services for village residents having to be paused during construction.
With that in mind, LUO Studio identified a 546sq m (5,900sq ft) residential plot where foundations and some concrete pillars had been constructed before the project was shelved.
To further expedite the process, design and construction work was started almost simultaneously and the designers remained on site during the project to support the construction work with answers to questions and agile solutions.
Materials and components were also chosen that were factory-made or -prepared where possible, meaning that most of the work on-site was just installation or assembly.
A wooden frame was chosen as the main element of the structure, for example, as it could be prefabricated quickly off-site and simply installed on arrival.
It also meant that efficient load-bearing use could be made of the existing foundations and that the new building would fit into the local context of the Wudang Mountain area.
Large expanses of exterior and interior glazing, French windows and a mixture of grey and glass bricks, meanwhile, allow natural light into the building and provide views of outside.
Inside, the building has a natural and open feeling, with a variety of spaces that include offices, meeting rooms, library areas and places to gather. There's also a balcony on the first floor and a bench along the ground-floor exterior of which for locals to sit and get together.
LUO Studio community centre Hubei China timber frame
The use of a wooden frame and flooring allowed for efficient use of the existing foundations Credit: Jin Weiqi
A seam of skylights runs down the ceiling of the building Credit: Jin Weiqi
French windows provide fill the upper level with light Credit: Jin Weiqi
Interior glazing allows light to filter through the building Credit: Jin Weiqi
Shelving elements are also constructed from wood Credit: Jin Weiqi
A library area is filled with books and provides spaces to sit Credit: Jin Weiqi
The wooden frames could be prefabricated off-site Credit: Jin Weiqi
Interior spaces include offices, meeting rooms, library areas and places to gather Credit: Jin Weiqi
A mixture of grey and glass bricks contribute natural light into the building Credit: Jin Weiqi
The building covers an area of 546sq m (5,900sq ft) Credit: Jin Weiqi
There is a balcony area of the first floor Credit: Jin Weiqi
A bench along the ground-floor exterior provides a place for locals to sit and get together Credit: Jin Weiqi
It took just two months to design and construct the building Credit: Jin Weiqi
LUO Studio recently completed a new community centre in Hubei province, China, by adding a timber frame to a set of existing foundations for a residential project that had been abandoned. It was necessary to find a new home for the Party and Public Service Center of Yuanheguan Village because its existing location had been earmarked to be part of a new hotel development. What's more, there were only two
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