Huangpu River Source · Longwang Mountain Scenic Area Visitor Distribution Center, Anji
Project name: Huangpu River Source · Longwang Mountain Scenic Area Visitor Distribution Center
Project type: Visitor distribution center / cultural building Design & construction: our company Contact: 021-60760737 Design completed: December 2024 Completion year: April 2025 Lead designer: Zhu Haonan Project location: Longwang Mountain Scenic Area, Huangpu River Source Tourism Resort, Anji County, Huzhou, Zhejiang Building area: 490㎡
Building height: 11.3 m Main materials: steel modular prefabricated structure, cement board, real stone paint, steel plate, OSB, asphalt shingles, aluminum alloy doors and windows
Building type: Prefabricated temporary building; modular construction
Unlike the urban landscape of high-rise reinforced-concrete buildings where we live, Longwang Mountain Scenic Area at the Huangpu River Source is naturally surrounded by mountains on all sides. Flowing water meanders through the site; undulating ridges, sky, peaks, rocks, and streams stretch outward and fade at the edge of sight. “Natural scenery as beautiful as a painting” is our first impression of Longwang Mountain—and the theme through which we respond to nature in this design. The architectural form, stretching out with overhanging eaves, echoes the landscape character of the site.
The three-dimensional overhanging eaves of the visitor distribution center stretch in a form that echoes the undulating terrain. This relationship is further strengthened by the shaped sloping roof, which complements local vernacular architecture and resonates with the landscape resources. The sloping roof becomes a transitional space between the building and the natural setting, softening the rigid boundary between architecture and nature and forming a space for dialogue with the landscape.
Architecture often secures indoor comfort by taking from the environment, which can also isolate people from nature. The design of the Huangpu River Source Longwang Mountain Visitor Distribution Center intervenes in the site with a cautious attitude, without emphasizing the style of a single building volume. The architecture takes a “hermit” stance toward the scenic area and the site—seeking both a sense of quality and the greatest possible simplicity and practicality, while lightly disturbing the environment. On this premise, construction uses prefabricated steel modular assembly to minimize ecological damage, meet functional needs, align with environmental goals, and shorten the schedule. Later, the structure can also be dismantled or relocated as a whole for secondary use.
The center is built in a prefabricated modular mode, supported by prefabricated steel frames and fitted with assembled façades. Main functions include a transfer waiting area, ticket office, public restrooms, medical room, supermarket, reception services, offices, conference room, lounge, and more. Based on use, it is designed on two floors: the first floor mainly for visitor reception, the second mainly for staff offices. Access is available through front and rear entrances. Visitors can drive directly to the center, which provides convenient parking. With an integrated overall concept, it offers ticketing, restrooms, a convenience store, and resting and waiting spaces. Spaces that seem casual in fact complete carefully designed, intensive, and convenient service routes.
The overall building height reaches up to 11.2 m. Floor heights vary by function: 4 m on the first floor and 3.2 m on the second. Because the building is composed of modules, it adapts well to the terrain. Beyond its functions, the whole building becomes part of the Longwang Mountain landscape, interpenetrating with the natural environment in a symbiotic relationship.
The exterior façade is treated simply and plainly, mainly with beige real stone paint combined with square-tube grilles and corrugated “Great Wall” panels. The minimalist façade feels fresh and balances the building’s temporary character with its artistic quality. The top uses a layered sloping roof finished with asphalt shingles, providing waterproofing and thermal insulation while outlining the roof’s aesthetic.
“Lightness” is the project’s most prominent design idea. From the building–environment relationship, to interior material and color choices, form and texture, and detail handling, the architects aim to express “lightness” at multiple levels. This includes lightness and agility in form and construction, as well as an attitude of light interference and light change toward the land and environment.
Standing among mountains and streams, the Huangpu River Source Longwang Mountain Visitor Distribution Center is surrounded by scenery; every breath is filled with verdant nature. Even without outdoor shared platforms or extended overhanging slabs, its pure form still expands visitors’ views—distant mountains, flowing water, blue sky, green trees, and bamboo of Longwang Mountain. Sited on a flat area ringed by peaks, the center draws surrounding landscape into the building, achieving a spatial exchange between architecture and nature that is unobtrusive and fitting.
“Harmonious fitness” is the strategy the architecture adopts toward this natural setting. The roof eaves of the distribution center are thoughtfully designed to create layering for the volumes below, allowing the building to find its own character while blending into the surrounding mountains. Here the physical form matters less than creating practical, open space and maximizing people’s experience of the natural atmosphere outside. The quiet, steady, and integrated character of the form and space aligns with the natural forests and cultural attractions of Longwang Mountain Scenic Area.
