schmidt hammer lassen completes design for mixed-use home for Labor Union members in Ningbo, China

schmidt hammer lassen architects is back with their latest completion win: "Home of Staff", a new 100,000 sq.m. mixed-use home to be built for the city of Ningbo Labor Union in China.

After winning the project in a 2013 international competition, SHL designed the mixed-use residence -- which is split into two buildings and linked by a half kilometer park -- for nearly 3 million Ningbo Labor Union members. Featuring a pixelated appearance, the building will also include health, education, culture and leisure facilities.

In addition to Home of Staff, shl is currently working on building a new library for the city of Ningbo and is renovating a school in Hong Kong.

Read on for more project details.

"The Ningbo Labour Union has named the project the Home of Staff as they see it as a second  home for the members they represent. The project sits at the centre of Ningbo New East Town on the edge of a new ecological wetland area forming the new cultural hub of the city, including the New Ningbo Library, also designed by schmidt hammer lassen architects."

"'We have designed the Home of Staff as a series of stepped building volumes that are linked by a landscape that rises from a central public park to become a series of accessible green roof terraces', explains Morten Schmidt, founding partner at schmidt hammer lassen architects. “The volumes, which from the air appear like a pixelated image, rise up at each end and form two  individual buildings that are connected by a sunken walkway and a series of park pavilions.'"

"The Home of Staff contains an impressive list of functions. It has arts and performance spaces, sports, leisure, education facilities and offices – all built on a base of commercial retail and exhibition space. The cultural functions of the building include a 3-screen cinema, a 1,200-seat performing arts venue, an exhibition hall, a Union Staff arts club and service centre, and training and learning facilities for up to 600 students."

"The sports and leisure functions include an aquatic centre with Olympic-size pool and large-scale wave pool, a full-size basketball court with spectator seating, 2 indoor tennis courts, 10 badminton courts, a fully equipped gymnasium and table tennis centre. Furthermore, the two buildings are linked with a series of retail courtyards and dedicated office space for the Ningbo Labour Union administration."

“'Ningbo Home of Staff and the City of Ningbo are an ambitious client', explains Chris Hardie, associate partner at schmidt hammer lassen architects and partner in charge of the studio’s Shanghai Office. 'The client wants a project that defines the vibrant and lively city that Ningbo is. Our design will embrace the landscape of the city’s wetland setting and create synergy across all the services the Labour Union provides to their members in a single holistic project.'

The Home of Staff is expected to be completed towards the end of 2016."

Project details:

Architect:  schmidt hammer lassen architects 
Local partner architect:  NADI (Ningbo Architecture Design Institute) 
Client:  Ningbo Labour Union, City of Ningbo 
Area:  104,000 m2
Competition:  2013, 1st prize, invited international competition 
Status: Construction 2014–2016 
Landscape architect:  GND Group
Local partner landscape architect:  NUCI (Ningbo Urban Construction Design Institute)

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