HEX-SYS / OPEN Architecture

Architects: OPEN Architecture
Location: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Architect In Charge: Li Hu, Huang Wenjing
Design Team: Zhao Yao, Andrea Antonucci, Laurence Chan, Hu Boji, Thomas Batzenschlager, Zhang Chang
Area: 680.0 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Zhang Chao

Local Design Institute: CABR Technology Co., Ltd
Landscape Design : Guangzhou Shangwo Landscape Design Co., Ltd
General Contractor: Zhongtian Steel Structure Co., Ltd
Landscape Contractor: Shenzhen Wenke Landscape Co., Ltd
Client: Vanke Guangzhou
Site Area: 5680 m²

From the architect. The idea for this flexible and reusable building prototype came about as our reaction to the unique Chinese phenomenon in the recent decades’ building frenzy — the production of vast amount of flamboyant but short-lived temporary buildings, especially those sales pavilions for real estate developments. It is a building system that can be easily adapted to many different functions, and most importantly, can be disassembled after each use and reassembled in another location, thus preventing huge waste of our resources. It is part of our continued efforts in exploring the ultimate potential of building sustainability, not only in realized physical forms, but also in a building’s life cycles.

Enabling speedy construction, it is a building system that is light, industrialized, flexible, sustainable and reusable. The first realized prototype of HEX-SYS is in Guangzhou China, for the real estate giant Vanke.

Inspired by both the ancient Chinese wooden building system which can be taken apart and rebuilt elsewhere with almost no damage, and Le Corbusier’s Swiss Pavilion which summarized his life-time research on the modular building system, we designed this prototype comprised of hexagonal cells with an integral approach to architectural, structural and mechanical systems , all synthesized within the hexagonal geometrical rules. By being unitized, the composition of cells can be rearranged according to different site and program needs when being reused in the future.

The basic building cell is a 40sqm hexagon module, with an inverted umbrella structure standing on a single pipe column that double functions as the rain flue. Rainwater is collected and used for landscape irrigation. 3 types of cells are created, indoor-open, indoor-closed and outdoor-open, to accommodate different functional needs. The exterior façade is made of unitized curtain wall system. In order to maximize the recyclability and reusability of the building components, all connection details are designed to be reversible, no welding or glue allowed. The pavilion structure sits on top of independent piles, floating above the existing parkland, while the minimal excavated soil is used to form the landscape mount, which frames an open space for public events.

Sandblasted and anodized aluminum panels are used for exterior cladding because of durability and low maintenance. Bamboo, the rapidly renewable material, is used throughout the interior spaces wherever wood is needed.