Architecture firm CCD has completed Banyan Tree Nanjing Garden Expo luxury hotel settling within a long-abandoned quarry site on the Tangshan mountain, in China. Once a densely planted paradise, the area has been heavily exploited by humans, leaving the topography eroded and destroyed. Following the concept of a modern cocoon with simple lines and bamboo elements, the new building seeks to revive and restore the region, enabling the harmonious symbiosis of humans and nature.
The Banyan Tree Nanjing Garden Expo seeks to revive and restore the region, enabling the harmonious symbiosis of humans and nature
Facing a stratified cliff edge along the mountain’s face, the structure’s layout flows along the undulating profiles of the former quarry’s stepped slopes, with extensively glazed openings that offer panoramic views of the rock faces as the mountainous landscape that surrounds it. By virtue of its natural curves and overarching feel of openness, the structure’s appearance was intended to evoke a pair of widespread arms, embracing and welcoming visitors to the premises. Landscape design along the fringes of the stepped form brings back the flashes of verdant green that had once dotted the valley before its use as a quarry, breathing new life into it.
After a long period of mining, there was little greenery left on the mountain, leaving only bare soil and stones exposed. The CCD team contemplated how to ensure the functionality of the design while blending it into the surroundings to contribute to ecological restoration. To blend architecture into nature, the designers adopted natural materials. The team believes that design is not only about form but more importantly is about becoming a part of the natural environment. The selection of materials emphasizes sustainability and respect for the ecosystem. Taking nature as the medium of creation, the natural materials create a holistic, artistic scene.
Photography by Wang Ting
