School Bridge @ Fujian Pinghe 福建平和 - Li Xiao Dong 李小东 (winner of Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2010)

The “Bridge School” bridges the two parts of the small village of Xiashi that lie on either side of a small creek that runs through the village. The structure is created by two steel trusses that span the creek with the space between them housing the functions of the school. Suspended from the structure and running below it is a pedestrian bridge for the people of the village to use.

Small and modern in design, with no reference to the area’s traditional building style, the school has nonetheless become the physical and spiritual centre of what was a declining village. Placed in such a way that it addresses its surroundings, the Bridge School connects the village together, providing a central, social space.

The broader social aspect of the project was part of the brief, which was developed with the school principal and head of the village to answer community needs rather than simply those of a primary school.  A public library separates the two classrooms and the ends of each classroom, or the two ends of the school can be opened up, creating open stages at either end of the building that are integrated with the public spaces outside. The stage at the northern end can be used for performances, with the toulou as a backdrop. The result is a project that has successfully invigorated the entire community, encapsulating social sustainability through architectural intervention.

Contemporary Japanese Calligraphy from Nanto @ HKU Arts Gallery 日本現代南礪書法 2011-2-23 to 3-20

Kamibayashi Michiyo
Infinity
107 x 79 cm

The exhibition is jointly organized by the University Museum and Art Gallery and the Ise Cultural Foundation, with the assistance of the Consulate General of Japan in Hong Kong and the Toyama Prefecture Government, Japan. 

The exhibition features calligraphic works by “Gen do sya”, a group of contemporary artists from the city of Nanto in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. They specialize in an innovative art form that combines calligraphy, painting and drawing. Their free-hand works express aesthetics of modern Japan. This avant-garde approach is evident in the seven female artists’ unique calligraphic styles.

In addition to calligraphy, the exhibition also displays other artworks reflecting the lifestyle of Nanto culture. These include prints by artists such as Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), lacquer wares, cloisonné- enamelled vessels and tea utensils.

The exhibition was first exhibited in Tokyo last year and will travel to Beijing in April after Hong Kong.

Tokime Nobuko
Revel (play with water) II
91 x 91 cm

Itabashi Terumi
Drift
106 x 78 cm

Otsuka Tomoko
Shall we dance?
178 x 90 cm

--------------------------------------------------------------------

HKU University Museum and Art Gallery

is located next to the University's main entrance on Bonham Road. While the Museum occupies the entire Fung Ping Shan Building, the Art Gallery is housed in the lower three storeys of the T T Tsui Building.

Opening hours:
Mon to Sat 9:30 am-6 pm, Sun 1:00-6:00 pm

Closed on public holidays and university holidays (16 March, 24 December, 31 December p.m.)

sources: http://www.hku.hk/hkumag/main.html

2010 art space in factory 798 Beijing 798艺术区2010艺术空间 by Thanlab Office

798 art zone in Dashanzi area Beijing is the first well known artist village in Beijing, converted from government owned military 798 factory which oringinally produced electronics and abandoned for a period of time.  Artist studios started to occupied the space in 2002 followed by galleries, art centres, cafes and restaurants.  While 798 becomes more popular as a tourist sight seeing spot, the rent was going up and more formal and commercialize art galleries and companies replaced the artist studios.
"2010 Arts Space" is one of the new comer in 798, its new building is designed by architect and professor Han Tao (韩涛) design studio "Thanlab Office".  The Building is a three-storey exhibition space in cube form with cut in space to form entrances and opening and allow daylight to entry into each levels.  A tree branches concept is served both the building structure; also formed and defined the building internal space.  The holly branches design enables natural light to wash down the levels while providing lines of sight to different zones. The tops of the arms puncture through to the roof, remaining open to the sun to provide an ideal condition for the exhibition rooms, extensive light studies were
conducted which also determined the permeability of the facade. 
The building layered in three main programs of the facility and stacked on top of eachother as storeys, with ground floor as the exhibition space, second floor as administrative and services, and third floor as studioes. using a tree-like structure, the separate zones were intermixed and integrated throughout the building, while simultaneously subdividing the static geometry of the floors. the result is a multi-level structure that overlaps and associates both art and commercial spaces together.

External View of 2010 art space (sources: thanlab office)

First level Exhibition Space (sources: thanlab office) 

Second Level (sources: thanlab office) 

(sources: thanlab office)

Third Floor Light Tube (sources: thanlab office)

Day Light Study at different time of a day  (clockwise from top left) 6:00 am, 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, 3:00 pm (sources: thanlab office)

subdivide the space in to a tree structure to let sunlight in and provide views out (sources: thanlab office) 

within the tree: art space
outside the tree: commercial space (sources: thanlab office) 

Study Model of tree geometry (sources: thanlab office) 

First Level Layout Plan (sources: thanlab office) 

Second Level Floor Plan (sources: thanlab office) 

Third Level Floor Plan (sources: thanlab office) 

Light Tubes Layout (sources: thanlab office) 

Section (sources: thanlab office) 

Section (sources: thanlab office) 

schematic diagram - stacking of uses and programs
(pink) guest room
(blue) art agency office / restaurant
(green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office) 

schematic diagram - distribute the exhibiting spaces throughout the building by puncturing through the different levels (pink) guest room
(blue) art agency office / restaurant
(green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office) 

schematic diagram - tree structure translated to the facade treatment
(pink) guest room
(blue) art agency office / restaurant
(green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office) 

3D Model of steel structure (sources: thanlab office) 

Construction of the Light Tube (sources: thanlab office) 

Construction (sources: thanlab office) 

Looking up throught the light tube (sources: www.designboom.com) 

Ground Level Structure (sources: www.designboom.com) 

Light tubes structure (sources: www.designboom.com) 

Roof top with light tube opening (sources: www.designboom.com) 

Sources: www.designboom.com