
The city of Korla has announced that inFORM Studio has been selected as the winner of an international design competition for the Civic Cultural Exhibition and Activity Center in Korla, China. It will be a symbol of a progressive future for the region of Xinjiang. The conceptual proposal embraces the master plan vision for an axial relationship of cultural buildings and a strong east/west pedestrian linkage through the site; it also responds intelligently to the climate, geological heritage, ecology, and contextual views and relationships. More about the Civic Cultural Exhibition and Activity Center after the break.
Korla is in a unique location situated above the Taklamakan Desert and at the foothills of a mountain range on the other side of Lake Bosten. Ecological and geological extremes practically co-exist within Korla yielding a tremendous opportunity to exemplify both conditions as part of the project morphology. Water is important to the region in general despite the abundance within Lake Bosten itself. Special care is given to the utilization of water through rainwater capture, greywater recycling, stormwater retention, and its use within the geothermal system. The connection of the project to water is celebrated in its use within the landscaping with reflection pools, evaporative cooling pools, a lotus flower pond, and a series of synchronized water entertainment fountains.
