Republic No. 1 / DCD DESIGN
Republic No. 1 / DCD DESIGN
Text description provided by the architects. Located at the crossroads of the Qiaonan Roundabout of the Laocangshan, “Republic No. 1” connects Yantai Mountain, Fanchuanpu, and the Exhibition Center, being regarded as an essential part in the historical context of “Yantai Mountain – Fanchuanpu”.After undertaking the project, we conducted a field trip. Seeing the dilapidated original “Provincial Foreign Trade Warehouse”. While being full of enthusiasm, we have also been in awe of it. Therefore, when conceiving this project, respecting the past has been an essential context. On the basis of retaining the original eaves and appearance features, we reorganized the interior to create a place where time and space, function and connotation coexist, and contemporary and traditional are connected in an orderly manner.
Since the building itself is in a double-herringbone roof structure, the story heights of different sections change regularly. According to the preset of people’s activities in the interior space, we reserve a high enough part for important functional blocks. Therefore, the space is divided into three areas: front, middle and back, which are used for the president’s office and reception, private exhibitions, and leisure and entertainment purposes respectively. At the connection of the blocks, there are corridors, wine cellars, KTV rooms, operation rooms, toilets, and other functional service areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0LXyawaBYQ
The entrance reception area introduces a natural skylight. From dawn to midnight, the light and shadow change from time to time, giving the space a dynamic atmosphere.
The tea room on the right is connected to the restaurant. The multi-path planning makes the two spaces independent and can be combined according to the needs of the scene. In addition, the service channel connected with the reception area is simultaneously connected with the western kitchen and bar, in a more flexible and reasonable moving line.
The renovation design of historical buildings should not only restore and protect the building itself; but more importantly, regenerate the space scene where it is located. Republic No. 1 is restoring to life. In addition to the office and reception, it also integrates the functions of the art gallery. According to the trend of the roof, we interspersed the blocks to integrate the restrained and elegant traditional culture into the modern design language to create a corridor-style exhibition area. It aims to show the strong humanistic heritage and local artistic characteristics, and finally continue the benign renewal of the old building.
The roof of the exhibition area is covered with two rows of skylights, where natural light can easily enter the interior. The combination of reflectors and filters makes the light entering the space as soft as possible. When entering this space, the viewer experiences comfort without being too dazzling. In addition, natural light can better show its authenticity and artistry in the process of displaying exhibits.
Passing through the narrow corridor, the dark green sofa and the old stool come into view. In the graceful atmosphere, the collision of colors, the air is filled with unspoken ambiguity. It is very much like the classic scene presented in “In the Mood for Love”, pulling people back to the golden age of the last century. Going inside, the old furniture of the Republic of China and the glazed lampshade with the imprint of the times have both practicality and retro tone. With selected brightly-colored soft furnishings, every transition and frame is a well-conceived picture there. It is said that the Republic of China is the best period, where traditions were not abandoned, and new things were gently accepted. How fortunate we are to have the opportunity to make the renovation of the city’s ancient buildings, recreate the classics, and pay tribute to an era that never ends!
