Haidian District, Beijing, China
gmp architekten
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
Hamburg-based architectural practice
gmp architekten has designed the
Zhongguancun Christian Church located in Beijing, China. The project features vertical fins running along the building’s perimeter that forming an unique homogeneous skin. It creates a special lighting atmosphere inside the
church hall, matching the ecclesiastical function of the space.
"The shape of the church body does not only allow for a sightline to the south media façade of the Cultural Tower but also emphasizes its special function in contrast to the surrounding commercially used buildings."
gmp architekten
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
Description by gmp architektenWith its free curved shape, the building forms a solitaire in the park-like open space between
Zhongguancun Cultural Tower and the “City of Books”. On the upper floors it houses China’s largest
Christian church, while on the ground floor commercial spaces are situated. The shape of the church body does not only allow for a sightline to the south media façade of the Cultural Tower but also emphasizes its special function in contrast to the surrounding commercially used buildings. The rod system of the façade forms a homogeneous skin, which however lets in sufficient daylight.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
The entrance to the main church hall faces northeast and opens up to the street as well as to Zhongguancun Cultural Tower. A cross, clearly identifying the building as a Christian church, develops from the façade rod system. Through a large portal, worshippers mount a stairway to enter the main church hall on the first floor. With its alternation of open and massive wall sections, the façade rod system creates a special lighting atmosphere inside the church hall, matching the ecclesiastical function of the space.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
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| Photo © Courtesy of Christian Gahl, Berlin |
The entrance for clergy and church employees is placed on the northwest side and gives access to a side chapel as well as to stairways and a lift to all the floors of the church building. The parish offices and community spaces are on the second and third floors of the south and west wings. Some of the upper-floor spaces open onto a roof terrace – a substitute for a churchyard – that offers parishioners an attractive outdoor space.
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| site plan--drawing Courtesy of gmp architekten |
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| ground floor plan--drawing Courtesy of gmp architekten |
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| 1st floor plan--drawing Courtesy of gmp architekten |
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| section--drawing Courtesy of gmp architekten |
The people
Architects: gmp architekten– von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects
Location: Haidian District, Beijing, China
Design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz
Project managers: Helga Reimund, Xia Lin
Team design: Katrin Kanus, Stephan Rewolle, Gero Heimann
Team realization: Christian Dorndorf, Xin Meng
Chinese partner office: Sunlight, Beijing
Client: China Zhongguancun Culture Development Co., Ltd.
Competition: 2004 – 1st prize
Gross floor area: 4,000 m²
Construction period: 2005–2007
Photographs: © Christian Gahl, Berlin
