Project
Cozoo Tourist Centre

Category
Best Implemented Project of Public Building or Facility

About the project
The project is located in the Huangshan (Yellow) Mountain region in South China and consists of a tourist information space, local craft display and storage area, staff rooms, restrooms and an observation deck. The main design objective has been to eschew an object-in-the-landscape approach, and instead integrate the building in the surrounding landscape both formally, as well as materially. In effect, the Centre's roof becomes an extension of the public space around it and can be openly accessed for enjoying views of the dramatic mountainous surroundings. The majority of materials, such as the cedar wood used for the facade ribs, have been locally sourced to minimise their carbon footprint. Funded by a national strategic plan fund for reversing urban migration and working with budget constraints, local materials and available tools and machinery the endeavour has been to create a sustainable focal point for local inhabitants and visitors of this remote rural region.

Location
Tangjiazhuang Village, Jiaocun Town, Huangshan District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China 

Project implementation year
2019

Project video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EgjuAL7aD8

Applicants and authors of the project
Continuum Design & Architecture (Kostas Grigoriadis) and Evogma Group (Li Zhang).
Dr Kostas Grigoriadis is an architect and university lecturer. His practice Continuum has recently completed the construction of a tourist centre and small-scale masterplan in Anhui, China for Cozoo Ltd. Continuum has previously won Spiretec competition for the design and construction of 62,000 square metre World Trade Centre Noida in Delhi, India. In 2018, Kostas won the Royal Institute of British Architects President’s Award for Design and Technical Research.