PROJECT: Baking Company Headquarter and Factory Conceptual Master-plan
Chengdu China 2017
The project is located in a new urban district of a Chinese metropolis. Along with the progress of the city’s urbanization, the site is transforming from a farm land to be an industrial park, to where the baking company is invited to locate its new headquarter and factories.
Despite its remote location and industrial characteristics of the site, the baking company intends to attract the urban dwellers to come here spending a day and make this base as a showcase for their corporate image. Therefore the overall master-plan is designed to be open and welcoming.
On the ground floor the pedestrian and vehicle circulations are separated from each other. Except for a few necessary parking lots, logistic and firefighting roads, most of the required parking space is located underground, so that the ground level is released for landscape, recreation and public events, where outdoor market and food festivals can be held. One part of the ground level public area is also connected with 1st Floor roof top garden by an auditorium, where various outdoor events can be held. Retail shops are also located on the ground floor in order to serve the people who work nearby in the industrial park.
The architectural design is based on research about baking, which is closely related with everyone’s daily life, intending to make the baking process transparent in front of the visitors. Two architectural volumes similar to L shape are created accommodating two major functions: factory / storage and customer experiencing space; they are interlocked with each other with the volume for customer experiencing being raised up from floor. In this way, the planning requirement for density no less than 55% is reached in the meanwhile canopies sheltering the public activities on the ground are also provided. A three dimensional public loop is embedded through the overall complex for visiting. Along the loop visitors are first welcomed in the reception, followed by the introduction and exhibition of the company, afterwards go through part of the factory and watch how the bakery is made; the visiting experience is complemented by stepping outdoor into roof top gardens, being able to enjoy bakery in café, restaurant and participating in DIY baking.
In consideration of the workers, their dormitory is designed facing North-East, where sunrise can be enjoyed in nice weather. There are also outdoor roof top gardens and sport facilities exclusively reserved for workers living and working here.
It is hoped through this conceptual master-plan the industrial feeling of the factories can be minimized, replaced by active public space, attractive landscape design and relaxing livable atmosphere.