Da Chang Muslim Cultural Center

In the design of the project, Academician He Jingtang has also carried out his concept of “2 Views” and “3 Characters”, with the starting point of holistic view and sustainable development concept, fully considering regionalism, cultural, and epochal character of the architecture, therefore presents us an excellent design. Dachang County is a Muslim enclave near Beijing. To revive the Islamic culture and improve the quality of culture life, the local government developed Da Chang Muslim Cultural Center, a cultural complex integrating the functions of theatre, exhibition, convention and community center. Based on traditional mosque, the building subtly interprets the spatial structure of mosque with new materials and technologies. The surrounding arches shrink into elegant curves from the bottom up, while the cambering petal-shaped arches of the reflection in the water look even more vivid and graceful. The dome sees the translation and abstraction of Islamic symbols rather than simple mimicking. We constitute the dome with petaloid shells and creatively transform the interior space into a semi-exterior roof garden flooded with sunshine, fresh air and vegetation. It has undoubtedly brought lots of challenges to the designer, because of the special ethnic composition, historical context, religious belief, complex functional requirements of the site and the setting of a cultural landmark. To revive the Islamic culture and improve the quality of culture life, the local government developed Da Chang Muslim Cultural Center, a cultural complex integrating the functions of theater, exhibition, convention, and community center. Based on a traditional mosque, the building subtly interprets the spatial structure of mosque with new materials and technologies. The surrounding arches shrink into elegant curves from the bottom up, while the cambering petal-shaped arches of the reflection in the water look even more vivid and graceful. The dome sees the translation and abstraction of Islamic symbols rather than simple mimicking. We constitute the dome with petaloid shells and creatively transform the interior space into a semi-exterior roof garden flooded with the sunshine, fresh air, and vegetation. In recent years, Academician He Jingtang and his team have also begun stepping onto the international stage, attracting with their splendid designs more and more attention of internationally renowned architectural media, universities, and critics, and have won their great praise. On the 10th of this month, Academician He Jingtang will be invited to the Venice Architecture University to launch an exhibition with the theme of PLACE, CULTURE, TIME. He Jingtang: Design for Drastically Changing China Opening Activities ,and he will also chair the opening forum.

Project Dachang National Palace is no doubt his another masterpiece. Located in Dachang Hui Autonomous County, Langfang, Hebei province, the project is supposed by the local government to be an iconic design, introducing Dachang’s particular culture and enhancing the soft power of the city.

The national palace is thus endowed with multiple functions, serving not only as the recreation center of the city, but the essential cultural site for the introduction of local religion and history as well. It has undoubtedly brought lots of challenges to the designer, because of the special ethnic composition, historical context, religious belief, complex functional requirements of the site and the setting of a cultural landmark.