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M+, Hong Kong. Gift of Studio Pei-Zhu, 2013, © Studio Pei-Zhu, Urbanus
Studio Zhu-Pei 朱錇建築設計事務所
URBANUS 都市實踐
Illuminated model, Digital Beijing (2004–2007), Beijing, China 中國北京數字北京（2004–2007）照明模型
2004
The Digital Beijing building by Studio Zhu-Pei and Urbanus was constructed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a data-storage and control centre. The winner of an international competition and the only major Olympic facility designed by a Chinese architect, the project is sited near the National Aquatics Center and the National Stadium. The monolithic form is made of four eleven-storey rectangular slabs placed in parallel, clad primarily in dark stone. Pedestrian bridges and ramps connect the spaces. Curved surfaces intersect the lower floors and contrast with the orthogonal rigidity. The differing thicknesses and gaps between the four volumes suggest a digital barcode or binary code. Vertical bands of thin cuts on the east and west facades, at times angled forty-five degrees, evoke circuit boards and microchips. At night, the incised grooves and interior glass curtain walls emit light, glowing like a mysterious mainframe computer. Translucent fibre-reinforced plastic used for flooring interacts with lighting conditions. The building, nearly one hundred thousand square metres, symbolises China’s emphasis on the role of new technology as a part of the Olympic Games and of society more broadly.
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