The curvature and form was taken from the surrounding mountain slopes and the ski tracks left behind from travellers and visitors leaving a rotary mark to mimic the constantly evolving environment
– Alina Valcarce, Group GSA principal

Australian architecture studio Group GSA have won a design competition to create an information hub for the ski resort hosting events during the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The Four Seasons Town Reception Center will welcome spectators to Fulong Four Seasons Resort – the Olympic venue located 90km (56 miles) northwest of Beijing in the city of Chongli, Hebei province.

Fulong is a master-planned, year-round community featuring 37 ski trails – the longest of which is 3.6km (2.2 miles) – and a total skiable area of approximately 750,000sq m (8 million sq ft).

The development will also boast 20,000 hotel beds and a host of leisure amenities.

Located at the gateway to the resort, Group GSA’s reception centre has been designed as “a dynamic landmark to bring social, cultural and economic interests to Chongli and Fulong”. It will feature a dynamic swooping form that evokes a sense of movement and relates the building to the surrounding mountain slopes and ski tracks.

Inside, the 4,610sq m (49,600sq ft) facility will include a help desk, an information point with updates on the scheduled Olympic events, and exhibitions showcasing Chongli’s history, culture, economic progress and development plans. Meanwhile, observation points will offer visitors panoramic views from a range of levels.

Group GSA principal Alina Valcarce said: “The curvature and form was taken from the surrounding mountain slopes and the ski tracks left behind from travellers and visitors leaving a rotary mark to mimic the constantly evolving environment.

“This design was selected as it coupled seamlessly with not only the context, but also the evolving seasonal states that the site undergoes throughout the year, from summer to winter. Hence the theme of 'Fire & Ice' was pursued. Temperatures change very quickly from icy winter to hot summer in Chongli, so the architectural and design team implemented the integration of hot and cold in its façade design.”

This will be demonstrated by a silver-coloured exterior for half of the structure and a copper-coloured one for the other half. In the warmer months, the building’s green roof will be visible, blending in with the natural landscape, while in winter, snow will cover the undulating surface.

Construction is scheduled for completion by December 2018.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will take place from 4 to 20 February 2022. In addition to Fulong, events will be hosted in other towns across Hebei province and in Beijing itself.

Several of the facilities built for the 2008 Olympic Games will be converted to accommodate winter sports, with organisers keen to cut costs by reusing venues rather than building more expensive facilities.

The Water Cube Aquatics Centre – which has been converted into a public water park since the Games – will be renovated to host the curling events, while the National Indoor Stadium, designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology Design, will stage the ice hockey tournament.

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