A Cultural Center Inspired By The Spirit Of Shanghai

Comprised of food venues, study and chess-playing areas, a library, offices and a bed and breakfast, the museum is perhaps better defined as a micro-cultural complex. The variation of facilities reflects the rich yet restrained nature of the metropolis. The outside space is dramatic and complex, a beautiful interpretation of a ’70s Shanghai park, while the interior spaces reflect simplicity. The character of contrast continues inside: while the museum space is designed to appear powerful, the office spaces are designed to appear rough. The hotel area has been designed with elegance, while the spaces to study radiate a softer glow. To maintain harmony, the gardens and building fuse together, uniting the disparate elements. The hidden features of Eight Tenths Garden are the sky-high contemporary Chinese courtyards attached to each bed and breakfast room. The entrance of the front yard has been crafted from bamboo and the verdant rooftop pays tribute to the ancient Chinese literati gardens. The outside of the building is veiled by perforated aluminum in a pleated style: this covering obscures views from the garden into the interior. Freely accessible to surrounding residents, Eight Tenths Garden has transformed a worn-out landscape, formerly used as a sales center, to a cherished communal space.