Geometry Brings Out the Best in Landscape Architecture at the Earthly Pond Service Center

Earthly Pond Service Center of International Horticultural Exposition 2014, by HHD-FUN, in Qingdao, Shandong, China. Every once in awhile, we are reminded how much of our world relies on shapes and the way they relate to one another. The Earthly Pond Service Center was created by the talented team of architects and landscape designers at HHD-FUN, demonstrating how powerful an influence geometry actually has over the field of landscape architecture. This project is located in Qingdao (China) and it was completed between 2011 and 2014, covering a site area of 23,000 square meters and a floor area of 6,539 square meters. It represents a perfect obedience to the field of geometry, and the final result is no less than spectacular, demonstrating that each and every functional space is pure mathematics.

Earthly Pond Service Center

Natural Gradients Used for the Benefit of the Aesthetic Experience In designing the Earthly Pond Service Center, the creative minds at HHD-FUN decided to make good use of the natural gradients. At the same time, it was highly important to maintain a strong connection with nature, given the inspiration for the project. Thus, it was decided that the courtyard of the Earthly Pond Service Center would connect with the surrounding lake wetlands, providing the perfect blend between landscape architecture and nature, in its most beautiful form. [contextly_sidebar id=”vgfAcOF7ryakWyjELILoMjRvpFycXVjA”] Working to Compliment the Natural Gradient of the Site The shapes chosen for the making of this project provide fluidity, especially since all the landscape heights have been decided in accordance with the natural grade levels. Those who come to the Earthly Pond Service Center have the opportunity to enjoy the results of some amazingly creative people, with the different heights providing immense possibilities for accessibility and guaranteeing a unique viewing experience. Providing a Space of Peace and Quiet When seeing the different elevations, one can easily understand how the natural gradients were used for the benefit of the aesthetic experience. The main spaces have been chosen to be lower than street level, providing a place of peace and quiet. Apart from that, visitors are brought quite close to the water landscape, being able to enjoy its beauty and take in all that it has to offer.

Preservation of Nature: Essential Part of the Project As humans, we have formed a habit of meddling with nature. The ingeniousness of the specialists at HHD-FUN is clearly revealed when looking at how important the preservation of nature was for this project. It took a lot of creativity and planning in order to design a space that would allow for the landscape to maintain its integrity and for the vegetation not to suffer. Perhaps this is what makes this project even more interesting. Apart from the uniquely chosen geometrical shapes, you get to see a project in which all the trees in the area have been preserved. Moreover, the architects have created a rooftop platform and an additional green space, guaranteeing the most amazing blend of architecture and landscape. The Grid System Gives Geometric Fluidity This project is unique, as a special diamond-shaped grid system was chosen for the final design. One aerial view of the Earthly Pond Service Center will let you see one of the wonders of the modern world. It goes far beyond pure geometry and it is incredible to see how the fluid shapes cover the functional needs of such a space. Architecture blends in with the environment in the most natural manner and the different elevations contribute to that objective even more. Integrating the features into the Landscape as a whole The geometric inspiration has led to the creation of sequential spatial systems, these being placed at different heights for an even more amazing result. The most interesting elements of this project include the rooftop platform, the plaza spaces, and the observatory deck. They are easily found at different levels and integrate perfectly into the rest of the landscape, following the morphology of the extant platform. Beautiful Shapes, Twisted and Dancing Around Someone once said that geometry is all about beautiful shapes that seem to be twisting and dancing around. This is exactly the kind of feeling you get when visiting this amazing space, with its diamond-shaped grid system and other carefully chosen elements. In the Earthly Pond Service Center, architecture seems to be powered by mathematics, especially geometry, in a higher percentage than in any other project of this kind (if there is one). That can only leave us with a question: Does the use of pure geometry give fluidity or, on the contrary, rigidity to a project?

Full Project Credits for Earthly Pond Service Center

Landscape Architecture: HHD_FUN: Project Name: Earthly Pond Service Center of International Horticultural Exposition 2014 Qingdao, Shandong Location: QingDao China Completion Date: 2011-2014 Architecture: HHD_FUN LDI: BDG Qingdao beiyang architectural design co., LTD Site area: 23000 m2 Floor area: 6539 m2 Photographer: Zhenfei Wang; DuoCai Photograph ( Aerial views) Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

• Landscape Architecture: An Introduction by Robert Holden
• Landscape Architecture, Fifth Edition: A Manual of Environmental Planning and Design by Barry Starke

Article by Alexandra Antipa

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