Bamboo forest inspires atrium in striking office space

Project: UAD Campus in ZITOWN

Location: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

Award: Workspace Interiors: Corporate Offices (5,000 - 10,000 sqm), Silver, 2023

Design Practice: The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co.

Client: The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD)

This office building for the Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University offers a striking, contemporary space. With bright white interiors, the prefabricated architectural space features a triple-height lobby, a greenery wall decorated with plants set between steel and cement and a photovoltaic glass skylight. Columns and beams are all made from a precast structure while the floor is made of partial composite floor slabs to minimize the cast-in-situ concrete volume. 

Design highlights

The designers used parametric design tools to create the bamboo inspired aluminium screen in the triple height lobby. They began by pixelating a photo of a real bamboo forest on the computer to gain vector data, and then used the tools to convert the textures of the bamboo forest to the building's surface. Construction robots were employed to ensure the varied angles of the aluminium panels' perforations. This creates beautiful light qualities in the space, mimicking a towering bamboo forest filled with dappled light.

Photo credit: Zhao Qiang