Zolaism Café, 阿那亚，河北/建筑

The project is the new store of the new-Chinese-style dessert brand “Zolaism” in Aranya, Qinhuangdao, one of the most popular seaside resort communities sitting 3-4 hours drive from the central city of Beijing. Located in the plaza of the community, the site is an addition attached to the north side of the original building of cinema, facing the main road and featuring a wide field of view. The philosophy of the brand derives from the natural beauty of mountains and seas. Because of the brand concept and the humanistic atmosphere of the community by the sea, we drew inspirations from nature while respecting the spirit of the site and continuing the brand spirit.

2/ 设计理念

2/ design concept

设计从自然开始。在浩瀚的世界中，人类是渺小而孤独的个体。大自然的宁静与浩瀚，帮助人们摆脱都市生活的节奏，回归本真。在这里，我们希望建筑可以成为人们安身立命的精神场所。

The design starts from nature. In the vast world, humans are small and lonely entity. The tranquility and vastness of nature help people to escape from the rhythm of urban life and to return to their true nature. Here, we hope the architecture can be a spiritual place for people to settle down.

设计也是从情感出发。生活在高度工业化、信息化的现代城市，我们使用的空间和产品，大多是数据分析和理性判断的结果。在这种情况下，人们很难与物体和空间建立情感联系；他们很难感到真正的放松和自由。我们认为，今天的建筑需要更多的非理性特征来突出情感的价值。空间不仅是特定功能的容器，更重要的是，它还是情感和记忆的载体。因此，建筑的体验感和灵性成为我们设计的核心。

The design also starts from emotion. Living in highly-industrialized and information-based modern cities, the spaces and the products we use are mostly the results of data analysis and rational judgement. Under the condition, people can hardly build emotional connection with objects and spaces; they can hardly feel truly relaxed and free. We contend that today’s architecture needs more irrational characteristics in order to highlight the value of emotions. Space is not only a container for specific functions, but more importantly, also a carrier of emotions and memories. Thus, the sense of experience and spirituality of architecture have become the core of our design.

3/ 建筑形式

3/ architectural form

开阔的小广场上，散落着几块自然形态的岩石，支撑着一个大屋檐。左拉主义建筑背靠原电影院北立面，以三面玻璃幕墙围合为特色，形成了一个内外一体的整体空间。一方面，石头的有机形式似乎是随机的和即兴的；另一方面，大小不一的石块起到隐藏钢柱结构的作用，也有助于划分功能区域。两块最大的岩石内部是私人休息室，形状结合了底部固定座位的功能。散落的座椅自由地散布在山石之间的空间中。该计划使整个空间具有流动性和开放感，在步行时为客人提供不断变化的空间体验。石材造型由GRC浇筑而成：混凝土的自然纹理透露出岩石粗重的质感，同时与周围超白玻璃的轻盈通透形成强烈的视觉对比，强调力量感的形式。无框通高玻璃幕墙将充足的阳光引入室内空间，光影的动态变化随时间变化，让客人有一种置身于大自然中的感觉。同时与周围超白玻璃的轻盈和透明形成强烈的视觉对比，以强调形式的力量感。无框通高玻璃幕墙将充足的阳光引入室内空间，光影的动态变化随时间变化，让客人有一种置身于大自然中的感觉。同时与周围超白玻璃的轻盈和透明形成强烈的视觉对比，以强调形式的力量感。无框通高玻璃幕墙将充足的阳光引入室内空间，光影的动态变化随时间变化，让客人有一种置身于大自然中的感觉。

In the open small plaza, several rocks with natural form are scattered in between, supporting a large eave. With its back against the north facade of the original cinema building, the architecture of Zolaism is featured with three sides of glass curtain wall enclosures, forming a whole space that integrates the interior and the exterior. The organic form of the stones, on one hand, seems random and improvisational; on the other hand, the stones with different sizes play the role of hidden steel column structure, and also help divide functional areas. Inside the two largest rocks are private resting rooms, and the shapes have combined the function of fixed seating at the bottom. The scattered seatings spread freely throughout the spaces between the mountain rocks. The plan gives the whole space a sense of fluidity and openness, providing guests a constantly changing spatial experience while walking. The stone shapes were created by GRC pouring: the natural texture of concrete has revealed coarse and heavy texture of the rocks, while forming a strong visual contrast with the lightness and transparency of the surrounding ultra-clear glass in order to emphasize a sense of power of the form. The frameless full-height glass curtain walls introduce plenty of sunlight into the indoor space, and the dynamic play of light and shadows changes over time, providing guests a feeling of resting in nature.

4/ 施工工艺

4/ construction process

与传统的建筑项目相比，佐拉主义的设计和建造过程有了一些突破。从设计过程开始，我们就通过手工模型探索空间形式。我们从1:100比例的物理泡沫模型开始，制作不同的模型来研究建筑空间的构成。在我们的探索过程中，被胶水腐蚀的泡沫呈现出自然不均匀的质感，生动的形态偶尔对我们的设计过程有所帮助。随着设计项目的深入，我们逐渐扩大了模型的规模，最终以1:30的模型确定了空间形式和组织，然后在专业工厂开始了模型制作的制作。起初，创建了一个 1:10 的手工粘土模型。粘土作为天然材料，让我们对空间的形式和美学有了更直观的理解和把握。随后，模型的比例在不断的调整中不断扩大，直到1:1的泥塑模型定型。整个生产过程既不依赖计算机3D建模，也不依赖施工文件。相反，这一切都是由设计师和承包商手工完成的。然后在翻转模板和GRC模块浇注过程之后，将成品和单个模块运送到现场进行组装。最终，架构成功完成。整个生产过程既不依赖计算机3D建模，也不依赖施工文件。相反，这一切都是由设计师和承包商手工完成的。然后在翻转模板和GRC模块浇注过程之后，将成品和单个模块运送到现场进行组装。最终，架构成功完成。整个生产过程既不依赖计算机3D建模，也不依赖施工文件。相反，这一切都是由设计师和承包商手工完成的。然后在翻转模板和GRC模块浇注过程之后，将成品和单个模块运送到现场进行组装。最终，架构成功完成。

Compared to conventional architectural projects, the design and construction process of Zolaism has made some breakthroughs. From the beginning of the design process, we explored the spatial form through handmade models. We started from physical foam models with a scale of 1:100, and made sets of different models to study the composition of architectural space. During our exploration, the foam corroded by glue presented natural and uneven texture, and the vivid form occasionally helped our design process. With the deepening of the design project, we gradually enlarged the scale of models, and eventually finalized the spatial form and organization with a 1:30 model, and then the production of model making was started at a professional factory. At first, a 1:10 handmade clay model was created. Clay, as natural material, provides us a more intuitive understanding and grasp of the form and aesthetics of the space. Subsequently, the scale of the model continued to be enlarged during constant adjustments until the 1:1 clay sculpture model was finalized. The entire production process relied on neither the help of computer 3D modeling nor construction documents. Instead, it was all done by hand of the designers and the contractor. Then after the turnover formwork and GRC module pouring process, the finished and individual modules were transported to the site for assembly. Finally, the architecture was successfully completed.

整个建设过程充满了未知和不确定性。在一定程度上，我们放弃了对建筑形式的整体控制。相反，我们让双手去思考，让设计随波逐流。在感性经验和临时判断的指导下，我们逐渐将设计细化为更成熟的方案。这样的设计和建造过程的建筑是无法复制或替代的，这赋予了空间独特的情感和力量价值。在远离城市喧嚣的阿那亚这样的海滨度假社区，人们需要身体和精神休息的地方。我们用直觉创造的感性和感性空间，不仅提供了一个接近自然的环境，还激发了一种回归自然的心态。

The whole construction process is full of unknown and uncertainty. To a certain extent, we gave up the overall control of architectural form. Instead, we let our hands to think and allow the design to grow with the flow. With the guidance of perceptual experience and adhoc judgement, we gradually refined the design to a more mature scheme. The architecture with such design and construction process cannot be replicated or replaced, which endows the space with unique values of emotions and strength. In a seaside resort community like Aranya away from the noise of the cities, people need places to rest their bodies and spirits. The sensual and perceptual space we’ve created with our intuition not just provides an environment close to nature, but also inspires a state of mind of returning to nature. It encourages people to put away the burden of urban life to get relaxation and freedom of minds.

5/期待

5/ look forward

20世纪初以来，现代主义建筑的精髓就是功能主义至上。理性判断和逻辑思维是现代主义设计的核心。如今，空间虚拟化的进程不断削弱功能主义。同时，大数据和人工智能的发展，逐渐弱化了设计师理性思维的价值。我们认为，未来空间设计的价值更多的是感知、体验和理想，应该包含一定的偶然性。Zolaism的设计揭示了人与自然的相对性和融合性。建筑空间已成为精神栖息地，作为一个新的开始。

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the essence of modernism architecture is the supremacy of functionalism. Rational judgement and logical thinking are the core of modernism design. Nowadays, the process of space virtualization is constantly undermining functionalism. Meanwhile, the development of big data and artificial intelligence has gradually weakened the values of designers’ rational thinking. We believe that in the future, the value of spatial design is more about perception, experience and ideal, and it should embrace a certain amount of contingency. The design for Zolaism reveals both the relativity and integration of human and nature. The architectural space has become a spiritual habitat. As a new beginning, this experimental attempt stands as our exploration of the relationship between nature and artificial environment in the new era.