Inspired by Hainan’s indigenous culture and nature, the building form references the indigenous hut island architecture and floats like an island within the fluid natural landscape. As an important gateway to the Deep Sea Science and Technology City of Sanya, Hainan province, the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Industry Promotion Center incorporates a unique arrival experience with an authentic vernacular design. The project integrates nature and unique programming with a focused resilient strategy.

The building design is inspired by Hainan’s natural and cultural elements to create an authentic presence. The building form references the indigenous hut island architecture and floats like an island within the fluid natural landscape. Five major volumes featuring pitched roofs are connected through elevated corridor bridges, creating a spacious courtyard with minimal impact on the ground plane. A rising staircase from the central courtyard connects the two floors of the building.

To support the building’s function as an exhibition and promotion center, Gensler's design team created a unique user experience incorporating three ideas—the “pre-show”, the “show”, and the “post-show”. Before going inside for the exhibitions and events, visitors are welcomed to the building by a plaza, where dynamic routes swirl around the building like waves with lush gardens filled with indigenous plants. The elevated structure connects the outside and inside seamlessly. After the events, people can meet and gather in the central courtyard before departure.

Ecological Habitat. The vicinity is filled with indigenous plants embedding the building in a lush garden. Shading and colling in its most natural form. The mild and warm climate of Sanya creates an opportunity for natural ventilation. The project manages to reduce the cooling loads by utilizing this feature. Openings on the pitched roofs allow the free flow of air. Aluminum-made façade panel features a hollowed-out pattern, which not only creates dynamic lighting inside the building but also provides sufficient shading for the adjacent spaces. Flexibility in the glass walls behind the façade to open up makes the whole building fully permeable, further reducing the operational carbon footprint.

NATURAL VENTILATION

The mild and warm climate in Sanya creates an excellent basis for natural ventilation. The project reduces the cooling loads by utilizing natural ventilation.

ELEVATED STRUCTURE

The design followed the principle of low impact on the ground and achieved a small footprint allowing nature to prevail.

PASSIVE SHADING

The facade panel allows the light and air to enter the building giving sufficient shading for the adjacent spaces.

PRE-FABRICATION

The main structure and the facade panels are all pre-fabricated. This has reduced the design and construction time to just 16 months.

ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS

The parking area is equipped with 20 electric charging stations.

BUILDING FORM

The building form with its pitched roof is beneficial for the stacking effect.

INDIGENOUS PLANTS

As part of the landscape strategy indigenous plants that are well fitted for the Sanya, and the climate is used.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

The building promotes public participation and becomes a gathering place for the local community.

The Courtyard. Visitors are drawn to the courtyard to share, meet and mingle before departure. The courtyard is conceived as the heart of the building bringing people and communities together.

Working under a relatively tight schedule, the team applied prefabrication to improve efficiency. The main building structure and the facade panels are all prefabricated, which helped reduce the design and construction time to just 16 months. The technology also contributed to the reduction of construction noise and waste. Completed in 2020, the promotion center has become a landmark place for the gathering of local communities. The intriguing design is inspired by the local culture and the search for ingenious solutions. It’s an example of how meaningful design can help establish the client as a contributing member of the community.