Changchun Hezhong Plaza

The construction will be realized in two major steps, with the first two stages (82,500 m2) finished.

The long and narrow plot (480m x 65m) and its relationship with Dongfeng Avenue with high commercial value have defined the strategy and inspired the masterplan. The comb-like composition of the buildings creates a series of U-shaped courtyards which are open to the avenue. They have been designed with care to achieve a comfortable scale and atmosphere for visitors to stay in the area and to maximize the commercial value.

After a multitude of variants, the design finally solves the program by linking 7 buildings – 4 towers + 3 low-rise volumes – to a linear block in their back that contains mainly the parking. In this way the parking building has direct connection with the towers.
If Changchun is a city with important automobile industry and automobiles have changed the city and the city becomes highly dependent on automobiles, this project takes the challenge and accepts the automobile as one among several design elements.

Main design motif has been the break-down and downscaling of the massive program into a series of distinct but interrelated volumes with a variety of public squares in-between, which in their interplay create a dynamic spatial composition.
The office program is distributed into four towers, one of them raised to 100 meters height including a hotel to become a landmark for the area, visible from far distance along both the Fourth City Ring Road and Dongfeng Avenue.

The lower buildings, up to 8 stories high, and the lower levels contain the canteen and restaurants, meeting facilities, logistics and call center, retail etc. All the lobbies are facing the main road; the office spaces themselves are open for future modifications with flexible partitions and a carefully designed core to optimize the usable space.
The entire design is based on proportion, balance and serenity, suitable for the North of China and for a city that is obviously marked by industrial production and by an urban structure both influenced by Western culture. Clean geometry and limited material selection were strategic to achieve this goal.
Likewise, the used materials convey a desire for a certain dignity that fits to the privileged site. Granite, steel and glass are the major surface materials, hoping that the years pass by without a significant loss of beauty, and giving the kind of natural permanence that architecture is able to provide.wo

Changchun Green Experience-Mall

The Mall is conveniently located only a few hundred meters from the new High-Speed Railway Station of Changchun, capital city of China’s Jilin Province with four million inhabitants. This is a major boon to the team as for the last several years, China has formed – and is now leading – the era of the high-speed railway on an international level. The successful operation of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway has promoted the rapid economic development of the cities of Jinan and Suzhou and the Beijing-Harbin high-speed railway has achieved unprecedented prosperity in Harbin’s West District and Shenyang’s Shenbei District.

Relying on the advantages of this new transportation hub will gradually grow a center of commerce, and with it a center of life. “Queenland Mall” will create a business cluster for LOHAS-style consumers, a commercial entity that is the sheer opposite of one-time sales.

Changchun has clear advantages in North-East China. It is located in the geometric center of the four Northern provinces. Shenyang and Harbin can be reached within half an hour; Beijing is only 3.5 hours away. This creates an industrial circle around Changchun’s high-speed railway station with a 60 million passengers’ flow every year, and along with it: economic growth and prosperity.

Key to the design process of “Queenland Green Mall” is the huge flower and green plant trading center, filled with spacious indoor Greens, a plant-themed museum, thousands of trees and shrubs, and more than 1,200 different plants. Its natural vegetation makes it an ecological resort where flowers never fall throughout the year, an oasis in the rather harsh winter climate of the North of China.

As a “Green Mall” with international orientation, Queenland Mall will kick off a commercial benchmark for the fourth consumer era. The Mall has a laudable goal – to abandon premium brand consumption habits and pay more attention to the shopping and life-style experience of a new generation of consumers. The Mall aims rather at an ecological, “green” construction and operation model, in line with the principle of simplicity and shared consumerism, and with the intention to somehow repair body and mind of customers and visitors and enhance their mental experience.

More than only providing a green cloak, the building complex will create an urban resort integrating tourism, sightseeing, experience, adventure, wellness, culture, life-style, entertainment and ecology. The group of buildings has a clear aim: Being the virtual centre of the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) surrounding the High Speed Railway Station. This formidable project will be a center that caters to the needs of citizens 24/7 all around the year. It will be a hub that never sleeps and that is always stimulating.

The finished building combines 148,000 m² of commercial areas as well as 36,000 m² of small-scale apartments located in two residential towers on top of the mall. The mall itself is composed of three individual buildings, connected by bridges and surrounding an inner urban plaza. All three blocks have their own central atrium; the biggest, L-shaped building provides an oversized atrium which is formed as a glass-covered open space with a green mountain in its centre, all wrapped in lush vegetation.

Included in the building’s many functions are an underground hot spring spa centre, a huge food court and seafood market, all kinds of indoor sports facilities including swimming and adventure sports, a spacious plants market in the upper floors shaped like a botanical Green, book stores, various kinds of retailers, entertainment facilities, banquet halls for weddings and more, and – last not least – a multitude of F&B outlets in different levels.

Creating a “Queenland”, a new type of Green Mall, a wonderland for a contemporary generation of consumers, is a challenge for all involved parties. High quality in planning, construction and operation is only one side of the coin; locating the Mall by the nearby HSR Station will certainly contribute to its success.

RhineScheme’s longest lasting professional experience is and has been in Europe, but its biggest and most challenging projects and clients are to be found in China, as China is still the largest construction market in the world. Working for the Chinese market is often connected with enormous time pressure and with highly complex tasks that are unheard of in Europe. Nonetheless RhineScheme has steadily improved its reputation in this difficult market and is proud of having achieved a high reputation in planning complex mixed-use projects, tourism developments, smart cities and eco-cities, urban regeneration and conversion projects.

Looking to the future, both RhineScheme and Qingyifang Group are keen to find creative developers or property owners for challenging retail projects, in which the companies can bring special Eurasian experiences, combining the Asian sense of hospitality and efficiency with the enduring ingenuity of Europe. This aim will help both companies to grow and establish themselves as international experts in real estate business over the years ahead.

Dalian Wanda Mall

The design inspiration comes from the natural elements of stones, water and greenery. Six volumes, like pebbles in a brook, are connected by flowing curves and integrated into the topography of the mining pit. The whole image resembles water stones on green fields.
The third floor of the mall is connected with a professional football field planned to be located on the west side. The east is adjacent to the planned Wanda Hotel group including a big conference center. People standing on the terraces can see the southeast urban eco-park which covers the entire lowest level of the mining pit. On the south side a large parking area meets the requirements of the public function.
The building envelope is formed by multiple layers which resemble the original surrounding environment, creating excellent outdoor viewing terraces. Several large spatial domes are inserted like pebbles on the water.
The internal shopping street is interconnecting 5 theme parks and an independent show stage space, creating a distinct circulation with rich indoor and outdoor spatial experiences. The three underground floors facing the southern lower levels of the pit are for parking and supporting areas.
The façade of the building is inspired by water flows, having natural curves and depth, while also producing different folds and vertical changes that enrich the visual experience.
Here, architecture is transformed into a flowing, soft and natural element with a strong character, providing transparency, privacy, or connections. The building itself and its surrounding special geographical environment contributes to establish Wanda Mall as a major urban landmark for Dalian.

Changchun Wanda Mall

The buildings are organized through the perimeter of the plot, so to give space to various landscape areas and outdoor parking in the core of the plot. The main actor of the project is surely the indoor ski ramp, considering its 110 m height that in the future will make it as one of the most iconic buildings of Changchun. Considering its function the concept of the project it’s inspired by snowy mountains, articulating the design of the ski ramp and the mall through soft wavy shapes and cold colours like light grey, pearl grey and different tones of blue. Generous glass openings characterize all the buildings in order to establish a visual connection to the road that is strengthened by a system of plazas located to the main entrances of the buildings.

Majuqiao Innovation Hub

Scheme 1

In terms of overall structure, the basic structure consists of “one axis, two centers, four gardens”. Office space, communication space and rest space interpenetrate each other, integrating office, leisure, social, life and other functions.

The design team endeavors to intertwine nature and technology through various approaches. Technically, the strategies contribute to environmental protection while curb the ecological footprints which are attributed to constructions. Plants serve to purify water and air, and the fusion of surrounding buildings and interior greenery brings the duality of technology and nature into the realm of aesthetics.

Scheme 2

Traditionally, industrial parks are geared towards cost-effective and highly efficient production models. Large areas of “barrack-like” and “matchbox” spatial layout is commonly used. Our scheme eschews the customary barrack-like layout of small buildings, open space are enclosed through the combination of small volume buildings, in addition a sunken plaza is incorporated into our proposal, thereby forming a variety of spatial experiences.

An ensemble of small-scale buildings enclose the diminutive inner square nestled among office buildings. All buildings are interlinked on the ground level, shared space for supporting facilities is available on the underground floor. Outdoor corridors such as escalators and balcony stairways are combined to enable a fluid link between indoor and outdoor spaces, thus generating intriguing areas. Strategic “cores” punctuate key regions to bolster inter-building communication, an energy flow within and outside the buildings is triggered, culminating in a smooth people flow circulation.

Hohhot Donghe Centre

The plot is also situated within a disconnected system of public areas. At the east side, the plot is linked to a public green belt following the riverside, however interrupted by the bridge. At the west, there is a public plaza for the use of the surrounding office buildings, and at the north, there is a large public square in front of the city hall. Hence, the pedestrian circulation is of high importance to determine an appropriate environment and to achieve a connective and useful public space.

The massing follows three main principles: First: Public green links to integrate the surrounding public areas. The ground floor level is sliced in a curved shape to lead the pedestrians into an organic flow, which defines and separates the public circulation from the private ones. Second: Volume Retention. Due to the reduced land area available for the program, the buildings are arranged in groups to be combined, and thus, obtain a better use of the space. All the uses are then grouped forming 3 main towers. Finally: Rotation for optimized views. The two smaller towers are rotated to face the mountains in the North and the river in the East. This layout allows the two buildings not to block each other, while opening the view from the residential tower.

Regarding the façade, each group is visually divided in two opposite colors, where each color has a grid with different density answering the structure and the modulation of the interior space. Then, special elements breaking the grids, with similar materiality, are placed towards the west, to create focal points, visible from the bridge.
The project is intended to be developed in two phases, each one with specific uses. The first stage will contain mainly the Hotel and SOHO. Whereas the second stage, as further development, will have the residential tower, office tower and complementary uses such as commercial areas, kids educational center, spa and small cinema which will be placed at the core of the public space, to increases the flow of users through the public space.

Guiyang Super High-rise Complex

In 2019, Guiyang officially started promoting itself as a “consumer paradise” by introducing high-end consumer brands such as Galeries Lafayette and cultivating high-end consumption. It’s in this favorable context that the super six-star hotel brand of Wanda Group, Wanda Reign, joined hands with SKP to enter Guiyang.

The project site is located at the intersection between Renmin Avenue and Huanchen Road (N) in Yunyan District, which is a well-developed area in Guiyang with convenient transportation and excellent supporting facilities. Close to Qianling Park, the region enjoys a wonderful natural landscape dominated by Qianling Mountain, the most famous mountain in the south of Guizhou. A tower is to rise in this setting, hosting high-end businesses, 5A class office spaces, and a six-star hotel by Wanda Reign. RhineScheme proposed two schemes for the facade design, taking into consideration overall aesthetics and economic benefits.

High-end business + 5A office + six-star hotel model:

With a total height of 300 meters, this super high-rise building with flexible facade modeling will become the highest one in the old town. However, the large office area will add some pressure on the future operation.

Scheme 1:

Guizhou is one of the main growing areas of orchids in China, and the orchid is the official city flower of Guiyang. Orchids are not blooming together with other flowers. The facade scheme shows the graceful lines of orchids and the natural upward growth posture. Seen from the main line, the building is like an elegant orchid, stretching smoothly and standing gracefully. The top of the building is shaped by orchid petals, and the center is like a blooming stamen. Integrated with the lighting design at night, the building outshines others on the top of Guiyang.

When it comes to Guiyang, green mountains and beautiful water are the necessary theme. Unlike ordinary streams, waterfalls pour down from high mountains and stand out from others. The streamline of the building facade is like rushing water of waterfalls, pouring down from a high source. The top floor of the 300-meter building is the lobby bar of Wanda Reign, which is more in line with the concept of “the top of the mountain, the source of water”. Shining brightly over the city, it is just like the crown of the city.

Changchun Hotel Complex

Option 1

Option 1 takes inspiration on the arch as one of the most classical western architectural elements. Starting from the traditional composition of arcades as seen in palaces and aqueducts, it then experiments and plays with rhythm and proportion to translate those characteristics into a contemporary language. The theme of the arch unifies the three proposal areas, giving continuity to Hotel, Conference Center, and Commercial Village allowing it to be understood as one building complex. Nonetheless, variations are powerful enough to bring forth a particular character and brand to each section, making them stand out on their own.

In the Hotel, the softness of the curve brings elegance into the composition, as it visually reduces the weight of the building, making it seem slender and lighter. Almost as an architectural skin, the arcade works as a unifying element that conceals the complexity and variety of uses and presents a harmonious front. The clear readable language creates a powerful image and identity to the building, easily recognizable in the urban context. Light gray stone is the main envisioned material for the arcade as the outer skin, while internally, a semi-independent inner skin of curtain wall alternates metal and glass elements in different patterns and dispositions to adapt to the internal spaces and create a dialogue with the external façade.

The lobby is the main space of the building and is defined by a path of monumental arches that rise to 20 meters high at the geometrical center of the hotel. These arches emphasize the symmetric disposition of the building and frame the view of the park, bringing nature into the space. The whole volume of the Hotel rests over a 6-meter high podium that conceals the parking and main service areas from the public with an entrance garden that also distances the guest areas from the main street.

The Conference Center introduces weight in the proposal, having an imposing presence over the public areas on the north part of the plot and marking the start of the complex. It is built by two volumes: a clear, lighter, and open one, versus a heavier, darker and more enclosed one. Consistently, the first contains the entry hall and related facilities, managing the access and the relationship with the hotel. Meanwhile, the second volume encloses the ballroom and multifunctional rooms with a thick metallic façade and few, but big and visually artistic openings, which facilitate the multifunctional character of the internal spaces. The color and texture of the metallic elements here, contrast and dominate over the clear grays of the entry volume, giving it a particular presence.

For the Commercial Village, the arcade experimentation takes a more human scale as it adapts to smaller and more intimate spaces. This area borrows the materiality of both hotel and Convention Center for the sake of continuity, but applies it in more playful and diverse ways, with new forms and denser rhythms. With building connections at different levels, the shop’s smaller volumes allow for the creation of more sheltered multileveled open spaces, which favor mobility and expand prime retail façade areas.

The three proposal areas work as a unity, with this similar aesthetic derived from the theme of arches, and materiality of light grey stone, reddish metal, and glaze. But they work as well as individual architectural pieces with unique characters that provide different spatial experiences and imagery, consistent with their intended uses and context. In this way, the complex creates interest through novelty, without losing formal unity.

Option 2

The architectural direction taken on option 2 puts a relevant accent on the relationship between antique 19th century building style and modern contemporary building style. It reminds to the history of the city, suggested by the presence of antique buildings made on the 19th century and modern facade languages developed on 20th century. Following this inspiration, the hotel body is clearly divided in two main parts, emphasizing through the division of the two parts the horizontal direction of the building. The podium part reminds the antique classical style and the top part recollects the modern. The podium part, which features the classical language of the building, is made on three levels characterized on the ground floor by big glazed openings interspersed by vertical pelmets while the second and third floors are characterized by the successions of windows spaced by double columns and vertical pelmets on the façade. Its material, a white marble, follows the traditional whitish appearance of classical facades. The modern part is clearly detached from the classical part by a setback, giving space to a generous terrace at that level.

The ballroom and the commercial building carry a modern language on their facades. While on the right the ballroom building, a 16 meters high volume, follows the modern language of the hotel building featuring a simpler façade style, the four-level mall building, distinguish itself with the articulation of various volumes that create two internal courtyards. The facades are characterized by white plastered boxes spaced with fully glazed setback parts and dark grey string courses on horizontal direction. The podium is made with grey stone and large glazed openings to clearly detach the levels above, giving a sense of suspension to the entire commercial building.

Option 3

The architectural style applied for this option of the hotel and commercial center find its roots on modern tradition, inspired by the history of the city in the 20th century. The façade styles are characterized by a sober approach using a clear and distinct configuration for each part of the building complex. Key element of the project is the round arch while the main material is the yellow Atlantis marble, to give a slight warm touch to the façade. As the modern architectural tradition referred also to classical tradition, the hotel façade is interpreting a classic layout scheme, marked by a triple volume division on its main body. Through windows disposition setback the intention is to emphasize the vertical direction so to slender the façade itself. In order to both ease the building mass, the last floors have a fresh contemporary appearance, stepped back and made by glass and anodized aluminum, emphasizing the horizontal direction. Another remarkable touch of contemporary design is made by the public staircase that connects the hotel entrance to the road below.

Beside the hotel body, the ballroom building is characterized by a 16 meters tall volume where the façade encompasses a sequence of arches of two different dimension. Characterized by a minimal modern approach the design is enhanced by a special connection of the arches on the corners, so to give the façade a contemporary fresh touch. In a similar way the façade of the commercial building on the left side of the hotel is composed, using the arch elements all around on two levels.

On its last level this commercial part is crowned by glazed volumes that can host mainly restaurants and bars, so to appreciate the view of the dense green areas nearby the hotel premises.

Hohhot HOPSCA

Option 1 is based on four elements that dominate the Mongolian landscape and identity:
The Mountains, the Grass lands, the Yurt (also known as ‘Ger’) and the Sun.
The architectural language of the building complex can be seen as a mirror of the Mongolian mountains. Similar to the peak of a mountain that is spreading slowly over its skirts and eventually reaches the wide and endless-seeming green lands, the main tower of the complex is part of an undulating base, which – in a play of heights and lows – encloses the whole complex with all its diverse functions in a unitary body. The series of atriums are inspired – in an abstract way – by the free space of the Yurt, which by a self-supporting structure allows for an opening on the top for air circulation.

The sun plays an important role in the positioning of the vertical elements of the complex. The composition adapts its height to ensure the necessary daylight in the neighboring buildings, thus following local regulations in a complex way. The position of the tallest hotel building at the north-west end of the L-shaped base allows the lower SOHO buildings to fully enjoy natural daylight. In contrast, the interior landscaped park which is growing from the center of the plot towards the east will experience a game of shadow and sunlight throughout the whole day.
While the architectural language reminds of the Mongolian mountains with their fine edges in the landscape, the façade resembles the richly decorated yurt cover fabrics, which enwrap the building complex in a smooth, elegant way.

Option 2 is based as well on three traditional elements that define the self-image of Mongolians: The Yurt, the ‘Hada’ (traditional scarf) and traditional colour patterns which will be mainly visible from a pedestrian perspective and from inside.
The proposal organizes the program of hotel and SOHO within three main tower buildings, the highest of which is the hotel as distinctive landmark. The architectural language of the towers can be seen as vertically extruded yurts, as their shape with curved plans clearly refers to the traditional Mongolian tent.

The fluid language of the podium façade which wraps around the towers symbolizes the fabric of the traditional ‘Hada’ with its message of welcoming and greeting. The podium is inviting the visitors with generous concave gestures towards the interior park.
In both the open and covered urban spaces, colour patterns that are traditionally used in the interior of a yurt aim at providing a sense of domestic warmth within the scale of the project.

‘Love Island’ Changde

The business concept aims at a vivid inner-city district with multifunctional 24/7 uses in all floor levels – the mere opposite of any sort of Potemkin village that is dead after 6pm and above ground floor.
In contrast to the neighbouring ‘German Street’, the ‘Love’ theme suggested a more Latin inspired architecture with the warm atmosphere of the Mediterranean in the language of buildings, in colours, materials, open space design and landscape.

Size and location of the site inspired the proposal of a distinct urban structure of South-European character. European architecture from different epochs creates the atmosphere of a Mediterranean town, with small streets and alleys and a central plaza, and an overall flexible structure that can adequately host different functions.

The site with the Chuanzi River running in the south provides a unique and very valuable landscape with outstanding views toward the river, and also views from the river to the site. This feature is advantageous for restaurants and hotels, for water events and sport activities. For the opposite riverside and neighbouring residential areas it provides high-quality living adjacent to the water and to recreational areas. Last not least, the riverside park is extremely valuable for photo-shooting and hosting special events, here with a special focus on wedding or engagement celebrations.

A user-oriented concept: People and love

The project’s success lies on attracting the biggest possible variety of users: Young and old families, couples and singles, well educated & culturally interested people, or simply curious visitors with the wish to immerge into a foreign world to find distraction.
Why will people come? Who will come, and what will they do?
• People meeting people: Whether coming alone or with some friends, this is the right place to meet a special someone and fall in love.
• Couples in love: Young couples or older ones can enjoy a variety of activities while getting the chance to know each other even better or re-kindle their love
• Engagement: To propose to a loved person, ‘Love Island’ can guarantee the most romantic sceneries and events for a great surprise.
• Getting married: For a special and planned wedding the area provides various options for each couple and their families, for the preparations and for the day of marriage. Last not least by having ceremonies in opulent and exotic banquet halls with splendid river views and romantic Renaissance gardens in front.
• Families, neighbours and residents: Everyone in the surrounding areas will feel very welcomed to come and spend a nice day in family due to the countless fun activities available

The aim is to have non-stop day & night use during all seasons (24/7/365)
• Eating & drinking (catering): With facilities for day & night use, with close connection to European culture, theme restaurants, specialties restaurants from different countries, gourmet and typical (fast) food restaurants, bars, cafés, ice-cream parlours and juice shops.
• Outdoor activities: Renting shops for roller skaters, segways, tandem bicycles, paddle boats, canoes. Relaxing in the park, photo shooting. Seasonal markets like Christmas market, fish market, autumn fruit market, Easter market, flower market. European (national) festivals or events, like French wine festival. Cultural events like annual open air concerts (pop music in spring, classical music in autumn), shows, theatre, dancing or acrobatic festivals. All kinds of water sports or activities combined with water
• Indoor activities: Museum, cinema, speed-dating place, KTV, amusement arcades. Roman bath, wellness, spa, beauty salons. Wedding-related services like ceremony facilities, dancing school, photography studios, travel agencies.
• Shopping: All kinds of shops related with weddings (fashion, jewelry), food specialties shops (wines, bakery, chocolates). Wedding related arts and crafts from European countries.
• Hotels: Honeymoon hotel; small boutique hotels with at least 5 star standard

Urban and landscape structure

The masterplan proposes a playful arrangement with denser and less dense structures. The urban pattern develops different kinds of open spaces, yards and atriums, public squares and enclosed garden courtyards, with different degree of privacy, furthermore landscape-like gardens towards the river. The area features winding alleys with an intimate village-like atmosphere, and a big central plaza with the most representative buildings, suitable for hosting the main events and celebrations.
The church is the core and focal point of the development and its campanile is the outstanding landmark that can be seen from almost any location surrounding.

The overall urban character is romantic, elegant and relaxing.
Since one of the most important commercial concepts is wedding photography, all buildings and open spaces have been designed to serve as outstanding sets for outdoor photo-shooting.
All buildings have 2-4 levels, and towards the river, elegant and eye-catching facades.

The structural arrangement ensures that density, volume and fragmentation of the buildings are diversified according to the different functions that they occupy.
The circulation system of the site is a dense net of walkways with different hierarchies. The structure is highly permeable. Many passages run through the site in north-south-direction. With an additional landscape-axis, the waterfront and the park are connected with the urban hinterland.
A main walkway runs through the area from west to east, ending in the main plaza and focusing on the Bell Tower.
The main square also contains the main gate towards the complex, thus becoming the main articulator of all circulations.

The church is the iconic building in the main plaza and is, with its apse, directly related to the river landscape. A large lawn (with small groups of trees) surrounds the church and opens towards the river for outside activities.
With a long flight of steps the green area gently slopes down to the water and provides nice views over the riverside park, which includes groups of palm trees reminding of the Mediterranean.
In the other direction the open lawn allows good views to the church and the preeminent Bell Tower.

The required parking lots are mostly arranged under the elevated platform of the lawn. Additional surface parking space is available near the main entrance and the hotels.

Architecture

The design style is Mediterranean and Southern European, comprising stylistic and typological references from Spain, Italy, France and Portugal.
The aim was to achieve a charming mixture of simple and elegant buildings in a combination of different styles and epochs, which also inspire the thematic flavour of the private gardens. One of the rare instructions from the investor and operator was to focus on styles predating the 20th century; nonetheless some modernist or clearly contemporary buildings are included to create a more authentic and less artificial atmosphere.

The materials used for facades are mainly plaster, in Mediterranean pastel colours and textures, mixed with grey or beige colour natural stones and red clay roof tiles.
Facades are symmetrical, hierarchical, repetitive surrounding the main plaza and facing the river; they are more random along the smaller alleys, imitating a quasi naturally grown town quarter.
Main architectural design elements are arcades, balconies with metal railings, stone window frames, friezes and roof mouldings, columns and arches, terraces, pergolas and garden colonnades, as well as pavements and vaulted arcade ceilings.
Additionally, the overall lighting design and signage complete the comprehensive European style, as well as the careful and sensitive landscape design by LML, Berlin.

The secularized church – hosting a theatre-like multi-functional event space and named “Florentine Hall” – is the central element of ‘Love Island’, in architecture and in its immediate creation of urbanity. Its transitional location creates two totally different aspects. On one side we find the typical urban arrangement with a regular church-square and the irregular “village” behind. On the other (back-) side is the church surrounded by a vast lawn which gives an almost rural, countryside-like character.

Areas and typologies

• The  “S p a n i s h   v i l l a g e” (A10-A15): Inspired in traditional Spanish or Italian small towns, this area creates a small village with main and secondary alleys, passages, bridges connecting buildings over the street, with enchanted roof terraces and a small intimate plaza, ‘Piazza Cupido’.
• The  “I t a l i a n  P i a z z a” (A4-A9, A16): Inspired in the main squares of notable Italian cities such as Venice and Florence, the ‘Piazza del Primo Bacio’ hosts buildings for high class restaurants, shops and hotels.
The buildings are inspired in a mix of civic Italian and Spanish renaissance palaces, the church – in its main façade – by ‘Santa Maria della Croce’ in Florence, the Bell Tower by that in Rovinj in Croatia. Furthermore two expressions of modern architecture (A4, A8) can be found, the latter inspired in the ‘Palazzo da Civilità Italiana’ of the early modern movement in Rome. An urban colonnade flanks the sides of the plaza and includes the main gate to the compound, in the shape of a colonnade with fountain.
• The  “R u r a l  P a l a c e s” (A1, A2, A3): This group of three buildings meant to host wedding banquets and celebrations, are inspired in traditional rural palace architecture from France, Italy and Portugal. Each has its own private garden for outdoor celebrations, with richly ornamented landscape, enclosed and protected by a colonnade.
• The  “L o v e  M u s e u m” (A0): Finally, this piece of contemporary architectural design is meant to be a landmark on the river, visible from all adjoining waterfronts. It establishes an axial relation with the bell tower of the church, in close relation with the water and harmonious integration into the landscape of the park.
The architecture is modern, with light coloured steel and transparent glass as main materials. The building’s shape is a composition of two intertwined wedding rings, with a sculptural diamond in the center. Both rings create a continuous exhibition space, a linear exhibition that becomes a loop. The rings are interconnected to create continuity between inside and outside, indoor exhibition, outdoor exhibition and riverside terrace.
In the center: the Diamond, a glass-clad sculptural platform for multimedia exhibition.