Skeletons, flowers and fashion inspire MAD Architects' Xinhee Design Center
by Kim Megson | 10 Aug 2016
The correspondence of clothing and architecture is they both explore the relationship between the interior and the exterior
– Ma Yansong
Construction is underway on the latest sculptural building designed by MAD Architects; a translucent, star-shaped design hub in the Chinese city Xiamen for fashion giant Xinhee.
The building, called the Xinhee Design Center, will have a public atrium at its core with a footbridge used as a catwalk for fashion shows. From there, six long spanning structures will extend out in different directions – like petals growing from a central point – creating a skeleton-like frame covered by a sun-shading envelope of see-through PTFE.
“We envision it as a building with skin-and-bones,” said MAD founder Ma Yansong. “The correspondence of clothing and architecture is they both explore the relationship between the interior and the exterior. It’s interesting for a building with such an intrinsically logical structure to look floating and free.”
The 61,000sq m (656,600sq ft) centre will be occupied by Xinhee and six of its subsidiary brands, which will each have offices in one of the extending arms of the building. Public leisure space in the building will revolve around the atrium, which will have indoor gardens and water features that link to green space outside.
In the summer months, cool air will be naturally ventilated through each level of the building due to its lifted structure. In the colder winter months the atrium will be transformed into a sun-filled greenhouse below the glass-enclosed roof.
Construction on the project is expected to be completed by 2017.
MAD have developed a reputation for their organically-shaped, flowing buildings which often take inspiration from the natural world. Last year the studio completed work on the mountain-like Harbin Opera House in China. They are also the design team behind George Lucas’ planned Museum of Narrative Art, which the Star Wars creator is currently seeking a home for.
MAD Architects Ma Yansong China Xinhee Xinhee Design Center Xiamen architecture design
Six long spanning structures extend out in different directions – like petals growing from a central point / MAD Architects
Outdoor public gardens will surround the site / MAD Architects
Each design brand will have its own office in one of the six arms of the building / MAD Architects
Indoor gardens will be located throughout the building, with those in the atrium open to the public / MAD Architects
The centre is currently under construction in the coastal city Xiamen / MAD Architects
The atrium's footbridge will be used as a catwalk in fashion shows / MAD Architects
MAD unveil sculptural ‘Invisible Border’ installation at 2016 Milan Design Week
MAD Architects are building a floating art museum in China
MAD Architects' twisting, theatrical Harbin Opera House opens in China
MAD architects reveal revised plans for George Lucas' Museum of Narrative Art
Construction is underway on the latest sculptural building designed by MAD Architects; a translucent, star-shaped design hub in the Chinese city Xiamen for fashion giant Xinhee. The building, called the Xinhee Design Center, will have a public atrium at its core with a footbridge used as a catwalk for fashion shows. From there, six long spanning structures will extend out in different directions – like petals growing from a central
CLD,ARC,DES,DEV
More news
Architects 10 Design reveal plans for ambitious Edinburgh city centre plans
by Tom Walker | 28 Nov 2020
International architecture practice 10 Design has revealed its design concepts for an ambitious redevelopment of Edinburgh’s city centre. The project will transform the former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) site on Dundas Street into a first-rate mixed-use development, which will create a new urban centre, providing a significant addition of public realm, including hotel, retail, residential and office components. The development will replace the existing car park and the ex-RBS
Perth's Boola Bardip museum opens in new AU$400m building designed by Hassell and OMA
by Tom Walker | 24 Nov 2020
Western Australia's new $400m WA Museum Boola Bardip, in the heart of Perth's Cultural Centre, has officially opened after four years of construction. Charting the rich heritage of Western Australia (WA), the museum houses eight permanent exhibition galleries, a 1,000sq m special exhibition gallery, life-long learning studios and retail, café and public spaces. The Museum has been conceived as a ‘collection of stories’ about WA's diversity, history and contemporary culture.
Promotion
‘Best Leisure Architecture UK’ award winner, 2019
GT3 Architects: Placing people at the heart of our projects
View full article
UK Government's £1bn scheme to decarbonise is 'a huge opportunity' for the leisure industries
by Tom Walker | 19 Nov 2020
The UK government has launched a £1bn Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), providing grant funding for energy efficiency measures across the public sector. The funding has been made available for capital sustainability and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings, including central government departments and non-departmental public bodies in England. Public sector bodies can apply for a grant to finance up to 100 per cent of the costs of
Museum devoted to the history of the US Army opens its doors
by Tom Walker | 16 Nov 2020
A museum telling the story of the US Army has opened in close to Newington, close to Washington, D.C. The National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA) is the first to outline the rich heritage of the oldest branch of the United States military had has been designed to serve as a center of education and as the Army’s symbolic "front door". Rather than focusing on battles or wars,
Architrave designs Banyan Tree Krabi with rainforest-themed spa
by Megan Whitby | 09 Nov 2020
Banyan Tree Group has begun welcoming guests to a new 72-key beachfront resort and spa in Southern Thailand, named Banyan Tree Krabi. Design studio, Architrave, realised the new resort which is inspired by Buddhism, as well as the surrounding natural landscape, water and a mythical sea creature from local Krabi legends. Owned by Asset World Corporation, the five-star hotel houses a 517sq m rainforest-themed spa offering traditional Thai healing rituals
Anantara to debut in Seychelles following rebrand of luxury Bill Bensley-designed resort
by Megan Whitby | 03 Nov 2020
Anantara will expand into the Seychelles in Q4 2020, following a rebrand of the iconic Maia Luxury Resort & Spa by architects Bill Bensley and Lek Bunnag. Located on Mahé, the largest of the Seychelles islands, Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas will consist of a 30-villa resort complemented with a luxury spa, set amongst 30 acres of forest garden. Located in the resort’s fragranced gardens, the Anantara Spa will be home
World’s first energy-positive hotel and spa to be completed with interiors by Space Copenhagen
by Megan Whitby | 03 Nov 2020
Svart, the world’s first energy-positive hotel, has appointed award-winning Danish designers Space Copenhagen to lead the property’s interior design. Designed by the Norwegian architect firm Snøhetta, Svart will be located in Arctic Norway at the base of the Svartisen glacier and will house an indoor-outdoor spa – designed by spa and wellness consultant Felicity Leahy, as well as four restaurants, an education centre and a design laboratory. The glass-fronted, circular
3XN design Denmark’s first climate-positive hotel with rooftop spa
by Megan Whitby | 29 Oct 2020
In 2021, the Hotel Green Solution House (Hotel GSH), on the Danish island of Bornholm will welcome a brand new wing, built, clad and insulated using wooden materials that will be both CO2 neutral and climate positive. Currently under construction, the groundbreaking 24-key wing will feature a rooftop spa and conference room, and is being designed by the same team that originally built Hotel GSH in 2015 – Danish architecture
BRC Imagination Arts completes new Glenkinchie Distillery brand home for Diageo as part of cycle of Scottish whisky attractions
by Liz Terry | 29 Oct 2020
LA-based experience design studio, BRC Imagination Arts, is the creative force behind the new Glenkinchie Distillery attraction, which has opened today (29 October 2020) near Edinburgh, Scotland. The single malt distillery is located in East Lothian, a region known for its produce and has undergone a major transformation of its visitor attraction as part of a wider £185m investment by owner, Diageo. Glenkinchie will be known as the ‘Lowland Home
First look: Contreras Earl Architecture creates Living Coral Biobank for the Great Barrier Reef Legacy
by Tom Walker | 28 Oct 2020
Designs have been revealed for the world’s first dedicated coral conservation facility, to be located at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. Designed by Australian architects Contreras Earl Architecture, in partnership with Arup and Werner Sobek for the Great Barrier Reef Legacy, The Living Coral Biobank aims to secure the long-term future and biodiversity of corals worldwide. The 6,830sq m multi-function centre will have exhibition areas,
Heatherwick Studio reveals plans for 'The Cove' on San Francisco waterfront
by Tom Walker | 28 Oct 2020
A new waterfront destination in San Francisco, US, would transform the city's South Beach neighbourhood. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, the project – called The Cove – would be developed on the site of three former piers which were destroyed in 1984. The Cove is based around a dramatic five-acre public park and has been designed to provide a new hub of activity for the city. The horseshoe-shaped building includes modular,
Millimetre Design create new spa for Johnstown Estate in Ireland
by Megan Whitby | 20 Oct 2020
Luxury Irish spa resort, The Johnstown Estate, in County Meath, has invested €3.5m (US$4.13m, £3.18m) in creating a new spa nearly twice the size of its previous facility, scheduled to launch early November 2020. The overhaul was conceived by Millimetre Design, the interior design and branding studio which created Johnstown’s Fire & Salt Restaurant, Coach House Brasserie, The Atrium and many of the other spaces at the 167-key Johnstown Estate.
B2Ai and SCAU to design new €100m Club Brugge stadium
by Tom Walker | 07 Oct 2020
Belgian football team Club Brugge has appointed architects B2Ai and SCAU to develop designs for a new €100m stadium. The new stadium, to be located at the heart of a new park in Bruges' Sint-Andries district, will seat 40,000 fans and will be designed to provide a more "intimate experience". Design aspects of the venue include an exterior draped in a see-through, perforated textile covering, while inside modern, open-plan councourses
Legorreta + Legorreta reveal cascading hillside design for Four Seasons Tamarindo
by Megan Whitby | 28 Sep 2020
Four Seasons has announced a collaboration with Mexican real estate development company, Paralelo 19 Desarrollos, to realise a new luxury resort located in Mexico. Debuting in 2021 as Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, the project will be located on a private peninsula along the Pacific Ocean and house an organic spa set amongst a tropical backdrop with eight treatment rooms, saunas, steamrooms, and hot and cold plunge pools. The resort
Celebrating Terence Conran
by Magali Robathan | 18 Sep 2020
Following the death of Design Museum and Habitat-founder, Terence Conran, aged 88, we celebrate his wide ranging influence on the museum, hospitality and leisure industries. In a tribute, his family said: “Terence Conran was a visionary who enjoyed an extraordinary life and career that revolutionised the way we live in Britain. "A proud patriot, he promoted the best of British design, culture and the arts around the world and at
Nikken Sekki and Layan Architects + Designers design mountainside resort in Japan for Ritz-Carlton
by Megan Whitby | 11 Sep 2020
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has opened a new luxury resort and spa in Japan, expanding its luxury Asia Pacific portfolio into the historic mountain region of Nikko. Nikken Sekki led the architecture for the overall project, while rooms and public spaces were designed by Layan Architects + Designers. The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, showcases a new spa designed to be an urban sanctuary of wellness inspired by the abundance of natural revitalising
Croatian architect Tomislav Alujevic creates contemporary eco resort in Hvar
by Megan Whitby | 10 Sep 2020
Maslina Resort has opened on the Croatian island of Hvar, inspired by local healing traditions and nature. Croatian architect Tomislav Alujevic, interior designer Léonie Alma Mason and landscaper Thomas Seconde were responsible for the project, working with Melany Martinez Thomas, founder of consultancy, Spa and Wellness Collective on the spa. Located near Stari Grad, the 53-key resort is surrounded by olive groves and terraced vineyards, stretching across two hectares of
Buxton Crescent Thermal Spa to open in October following 15-year saga
by Megan Whitby | 04 Sep 2020
The long-awaited Buxton Crescent Hotel and Thermal Spa in the historic spa town of Buxton in the UK will open its doors on 1 October 2020 following an extensive multi-million-pound restoration, after plans were first submitted nearly 15 years ago. Archer Humphryes Architects and Nicholas Jacob Architects have both worked on the project, which has revived one of the UK's first genuine spa hotels, the 81-key destination will re-establish Buxton’s
Home of 2030: six architects named on shortlist
by Tom Walker | 26 Aug 2020
The UK government has revealed the six finalists for its Home of 2030 initiative. Launched in November 2019, the competition has been designed to encourage the best and brightest talents of the design industry to create environmentally sustainable, practical and scalable ideas for future homes. A particular focus in deciding a winner will be on designs which support people to live independent, fulfilling lives as society ages. The six teams
Warner Bros. to open Harry Potter studio attraction in Japan
by Tom Walker | 25 Aug 2020
Warner Bros. has revealed plans to develop a Harry Potter studio tour attraction in Japanese capital Tokyo. To be located on the grounds of the Toshimaen Amusement Park in the city's Nerima ward, the attraction will become the second Harry Potter studio site, following the opening of the inaugural Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, UK. Since its launch in 2012, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of
Bjarke Ingels, Jean Nouvel and Kengo Kuma named as three finalist for Shenzhen Opera House project
by Tom Walker | 19 Aug 2020
The architectural competition to decide the designer of the planned Shenzhen Opera House has reached the closing stages, with three high-profile practices being selected as finalists. Those making it to the final list are Jean Nouvel Ateliers, Bjarke Ingels Group, working with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, and Kengo Kuma and Associates, working with Shenzhen University Institute of Architectural Design. The opera house project is being driven by the local
Aidia Studio reveals plans for desert safari lodges with retractable shell inspired by cacti
by Megan Whitby | 18 Aug 2020
Mexican design firm, Aidia Studio, has unveiled plans for a complex of 25 luxury hotel pods with collapsible shells, located in the Rub’ al Khali Desert in Abu Dhabi. Called the Oculus, the pod consists of a double-glazed dome encasing a luxury hotel room, which is shrouded by a collapsible shell for shading, temperature control, camouflage and privacy. The outer shell is made up of 60 shading panels which create
Birmingham 2022 'de-risks' Commonwealth Games – scraps plans for £520m athletes' village
by Tom Walker | 12 Aug 2020
The organising committee of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have shelved plans to create an athletes' village in the Perry Barr area of the city. The £520m development would have provided a home for around 6,500 athletes and officials during the Games and was due for completion in early 2022. Post games, the development was set to be converted into more than 1,400 homes, forming the first phase of a
Emaar Hospitality to unveil Dubai hotel with rooftop infinity pool
by Megan Whitby | 07 Aug 2020
Architecture firm, Killa Design, is collaborating with interior design consultant, KCA, to deliver upcoming twin-tower development, The Address Residences Jumeirah Resort and Spa and The Residences Jumeirah Dubai, in Dubai. The beachfront destination will be housed in 310-ft-tall towers, interconnected by lower and upper bridges. The property will include a 217-room, 77-storey hotel, as well as fully-serviced apartments and luxury residences. Facilities will include a rooftop infinity pool offering unrivalled
noa* reimagines alpine wellness retreat to merge seamlessly with mountain landscape
by Megan Whitby | 05 Aug 2020
A South Tyrolean wellness resort in Saltaus, Italy, has received a new two-floor wellness centre designed to provide a sanctuary of wellbeing that integrates smoothly into the natural landscape. Apfelhotel Torgglerhof hotel’s new 570sq m facility has been created to complement the resort’s existing spa with its apple-shaped bio-sauna – inspired by the local apple orchards. Architecture and interior design firm Network of Architecture (noa*) led the overhaul, with construction
Therme Group announces development plans to roll out wellbeing resorts across UK
by Megan Whitby | 03 Aug 2020
Following approval to build a £250mn wellbeing resort in Manchester, Therme Group has revealed plans to develop and expand its concept in other major UK cities. “Our aim is to ensure that a Therme Group wellbeing resort is within easy reach of 90 per cent of the UK population,” commented Therme UK COO, James Mark. The development plan includes projects – with a similar concept to Therme Manchester – in
Rosewood announces hotel and residences within US$45bn Lusail City mega-project in Doha
by Megan Whitby | 30 Jul 2020
Rosewood Hotels and Resorts is expanding its presence in the Middle East with plans to open a hotel and residences in Doha, Qatar, in 2022. Housed in two towers, Rosewood Doha and Rosewood Residences Doha will consist of one 40-storey building that will include 300 residences for purchase while the other 37-floor tower will feature a 185-room ultra-luxury hotel and 173 serviced apartments for longer-term stays. The hotel group has
Six Senses unveils plans for rural Italian escape at historic castle estate
by Megan Whitby | 29 Jul 2020
Six Senses has announced plans to open a new Italian resort at a historic castle estate nestled into the Umbrian countryside, in Perugia, scheduled to open in 2023. Architecture firm Woods Bagot is behind the masterplan, while interiors are being planned by Tokyo-based Design Studio SPIN. The redevelopment is being driven by VIY Management (VIYM), a London-based investment firm focused on luxury hospitality and mixed-use real estate projects, and Alessio
Sydney's urban beach complex, by Andrew Burges and Grimshaw, to be completed late 2020
by Tom Walker | 28 Jul 2020
Construction work on Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre in Sydney, Australia, is expected to be completed in late 2020. The City of Sydney, which owns the centre, said that the COVID-19 pandemic had caused delays to works and it now expects the facility to open by the end of the year. When complete, Gunyama Park will be the biggest aquatic complex built in Sydney since the 2000 Olympic Games.
Grupo Espiritu creates private wellness residences for Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico
by Megan Whitby | 17 Jul 2020
Wellness destination and spa, Rancho La Puerta, has announced plans for a private, wellness-focused village of residences on The Ranch’s 4,000 acres in Tecate, Mexico. The Residences will be an extension to the Rancho La Puerta community and will be nestled beside a vineyard, with sweeping views of Mount Kuchumaa and will be both connected to, and separate from, The Ranch. The vision for the project is focused on creating
Promotion
‘Best Leisure Architecture UK’ award winner, 2019
GT3 Architects: Placing people at the heart of our projects
View full article
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
"Funding woes and murky timelines are common problems. It can be easier to make a difference one small project at a time"
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
features
cladkit product news
Hospitality veteran and Ritz Carlton co-founder, Horst Schulze, who brings more than 65 years’ experience to the table, has been announced as a keynote
Frontline work has never been more important and frontline workers are the largest class of workers on the planet, as
...
Allaperto, the lounge collection spawned by the partnership between design studios, Matteo Thun, Ethimo and Antonio Rodriguez, has been expanded
...
cladkit product news
The aluminium fins will form the façade of the upcoming Minories Hotel in Aldgate, London
Metalline, an architectural metalwork specialist based in the UK, has created a range of bespoke 3D twisted metal fins for
...
The team combines lighting, video, sound and special effects, with scenic and architectural elements, to create unforgettable visual experiences
Belgium-based light and video design studio, Painting with Light, will translate the story of your location into a visual experience,
...
cladkit product news
The product has three LED light sources: Dot, Dash and Grid
British designer, Tom Dixon, and Austrian architectural lighting specialists, Prolicht, have collaborated to unveil a new lighting range. Called CODE,
...
Rainbow Design worked closely with KSS Architects to ensure the furniture matched the design vision
KSS Architects has partnered with Rainbow Design, a London-based furniture supplier, to create the 1885 Lounge at St Mary's Stadium,
...
