Copper Blockhouse / Wutopia Lab

Copper blockhouse · Full Metal Jacket - In 2021, I was invited by my friend Qiye, to design a central building in the center of the creative industry park that I renovated for him. However, we are both spaced out those days as our wives are facing a similar dilemma. We are distracted, yet tried to take our minds off anxiety by working, but it was hard to fully concentrate. Various possibilities of functions such as clubs and cafés were vetoed, as these ordinary functions cannot convince the two middle-aged men who were in panic. Eventually, we agreed on a multi-functional spiritual fortress as the central building. I said to Qiye that we needed to justify our existence, which was impossible for successful commercial development to achieve. The museum is the church of the modern age, and it might settle our disturbed souls. Therefore, we used the museum as the base of the work. Nautical machinery and ships are huge metal objects, therefore, I decided to build the building entirely of metal, and copper was chosen in the end. I am superstitious that metal shell is strong enough to protect our frightened souls.

Copper Blockhouse / Wutopia Lab
© CreatAR Images © CreatAR Images
  • architects: Wutopia Lab
  • Location: Pudong, Shanghai, China
  • Project Year: 2023
  • Photographs: CreatAR Images
  • Area: 405.0 m2

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