ARRANGED IMAGE
Background information
The project took place in the general background of the post industrialization of mining industry in Mentougou District, Beijing, China. Mentougou is a natural ecological shield in the west of Beijing. Its total area is 1455 km2, whose mountainous area reaches a high ratio of 98.5%, making it a wonderful energy and building material base of Beijing. In 2005 the district set a goal of building itself an ecological demonstration district, and brought about a drastic reform. It has closed 246 out of 252 coal mining enterprises, 143 out of 156 other mining enterprises.
The mining industry has brought huge damages to the environment. Though lots of the destructors were removed, their left ecological and social problems cannot be cured in a short time. Since 1980s, some European countries began to pay great attention to the environmental management and revival of discarded coal mining areas. Their paths went from pure management to complicated multi-functional planning. Their precious experiences are well worth learning.
The mining industry has brought huge damages to the environment. Though lots of the destructors were removed, their left ecological and social problems cannot be cured in a short time. Since 1980s, some European countries began to pay great attention to the environmental management and revival of discarded coal mining areas. Their paths went from pure management to complicated multi-functional planning. Their precious experiences are well worth learning.
An example of the reuse of discarded resources in mining areas in Germany
An example of the multi-functional planning of mining areas: The Forest Park of outdoor mining in Fushun, China
The project is located in such a discarded lime ore mining zone in Mentougou. There were lots of ecological and social problems left, such as wasteland increasing, mountain body damaging, water and soil loss and social problems of unemployment and loss of local culture. The project intended to act as an ecological repairing demonstration to bring a new era of ecological and social repairing.
Design Process
The design underwent a typical process of problem collecting, analyzing and solving, in the form of a series of functions, with which the problem and strategies were organized in an orderly way, making a sensible respond to the environment and an accurate design. The design functions are as follows：
Concept Generation
The problem-solvation function series can be unified and visualized to a concept of a “transfusion pipe”. The transfusion pipe injected sunshine, green and culture to the architecture and surrounding areas, curing its “diseases and wounds” and thus aroused a revival in the ecological and social aspects.
Concept Definition: The “transfusion pipe” was a scenic route built with wasted stone, with its outstanding thermotechnical performance; a pipe filled with green and a juxtaposition of the Transfusion pipe and the industry relics representing two different attitudes towards the nature.
The function series mentioned above can be thus summarized as follows:
Concept Definition: The “transfusion pipe” was a scenic route built with wasted stone, with its outstanding thermotechnical performance; a pipe filled with green and a juxtaposition of the Transfusion pipe and the industry relics representing two different attitudes towards the nature.
The function series mentioned above can be thus summarized as follows:
Illustration of the three main strategies
Detailed illustration of each strategy
1. Importing Sunshine: the revival path of discarded stones
a) Material Selection and Construction
The abundant stones in the site were selected as the main building material. For one thing, the stone has an outstanding thermotechnical feature of heat storing and releasing. Its combined use with the greenhouse effect and cliff ventilation helped create an adorable thermal environment. For another, it was also a strategy towards the global resource shortage. In the building industry, the processing and transportation of building materials cost enormous environmental, economic and human resources. The project here stressed the use of local materials.
a) Material Selection and Construction
The abundant stones in the site were selected as the main building material. For one thing, the stone has an outstanding thermotechnical feature of heat storing and releasing. Its combined use with the greenhouse effect and cliff ventilation helped create an adorable thermal environment. For another, it was also a strategy towards the global resource shortage. In the building industry, the processing and transportation of building materials cost enormous environmental, economic and human resources. The project here stressed the use of local materials.
Construction of the stone cage and the thermotechnical feature of the stone
b) Shadow range analysis and the resulted overall form
In this stage of design, we first simulated the sunlit and shaded range around the year. Then we analyzed the layout properties of the year round shade. Finally, basing on the requirement of gaining five hours’ direct sunlight in different time of year, we figured out the overall body layout of the architecture.
In this stage of design, we first simulated the sunlit and shaded range around the year. Then we analyzed the layout properties of the year round shade. Finally, basing on the requirement of gaining five hours’ direct sunlight in different time of year, we figured out the overall body layout of the architecture.
Function of sunshine analysis and the resulted overall layout form
c) Dual Route System of winter and summer
Considering the different requirements of light and heat, we designed two seasonal routs: the summer route and the winter route. The summer route hided the architecture in the shade of the cliff, and had thus evaded the direct sunburn. It effectively used the cliff ventilation caused by the temperature difference of the cliff between upper and lower places. The convection was sped up and extra heat was quickly taken away, achieving a pleasantly cool interior environment. In addition, the summer route also created a chance of a “zero-distance” contact with the cliff. The winter route, on the other hand, hanged out from the cliff for a better sunshine. Together with the absorption and storing of heat by the stone cage skin, the locking of heat with the greenhouse effect, the route managed to produce a warm and bright interior environment. Furthermore, it supplied users with better view of the natural and industrial scenery of the whole site.
Considering the different requirements of light and heat, we designed two seasonal routs: the summer route and the winter route. The summer route hided the architecture in the shade of the cliff, and had thus evaded the direct sunburn. It effectively used the cliff ventilation caused by the temperature difference of the cliff between upper and lower places. The convection was sped up and extra heat was quickly taken away, achieving a pleasantly cool interior environment. In addition, the summer route also created a chance of a “zero-distance” contact with the cliff. The winter route, on the other hand, hanged out from the cliff for a better sunshine. Together with the absorption and storing of heat by the stone cage skin, the locking of heat with the greenhouse effect, the route managed to produce a warm and bright interior environment. Furthermore, it supplied users with better view of the natural and industrial scenery of the whole site.
Function of the dual route system
Ventilation in summer using the temperature gradient of the cliff
Heat transmitting loop in the “Sunshine Room” in winter
d) Heat Gaining Simulation and Resulted Section Design of “Pipe Shell”
Basing on the thorough heat gaining simulation of the architecture, we first analyzed and summarized the heat and ventilation feature of each part of the architecture, and then made a heat-ventilation-feature oriented Section Design of the “Pipe Shell”. In addition, we also combine the technical design with Chinese traditional space images of “revealing”, “hiding”, “hanging”, “crossing over”, and “overlooking”, producing a great variety of interesting spaces.
Basing on the thorough heat gaining simulation of the architecture, we first analyzed and summarized the heat and ventilation feature of each part of the architecture, and then made a heat-ventilation-feature oriented Section Design of the “Pipe Shell”. In addition, we also combine the technical design with Chinese traditional space images of “revealing”, “hiding”, “hanging”, “crossing over”, and “overlooking”, producing a great variety of interesting spaces.
Function of Heat Gaining and “Pipe Shell” Design
2. Importing Green
The irrational developing pattern of previous ore mining industry led to serious ecological problems including ground surface damage, water and soil loss and sand blow etc. To cure these, the project applied the strategy of importing green.
Protection vegetation was planned in the site to conserve water and soil. In the northwest was for windbreak, along the sightseeing path was for landscape use, and on the big platform in the south was for economic use.
The irrational developing pattern of previous ore mining industry led to serious ecological problems including ground surface damage, water and soil loss and sand blow etc. To cure these, the project applied the strategy of importing green.
Protection vegetation was planned in the site to conserve water and soil. In the northwest was for windbreak, along the sightseeing path was for landscape use, and on the big platform in the south was for economic use.
The vegetation site plan
Indoor planting, the “green reagent”, were arranged to adjust the interior microenvironment. Importing green is also reflected in a detail design of sunshade, the green skin of leaf folders. Fallen leaves were put in between the folder. By adjusting the quantity and color of the leaves, users can easily reverse the shading effect and the overall appearance of the architecture skin.
The green reagent: the interior planting
The green architecture surface: the sunshade leaf folder (the horizontal sunshade towards the south and the vertical shading in the north)
3. Importing culture
In the great flood of industry transformation, local villagers living on the mining industry encountered unemployment. To develop the tourism is a cure of this.
In the macro scale, we picked several typical industry and connected them with an arranged a scenic route.
In the great flood of industry transformation, local villagers living on the mining industry encountered unemployment. To develop the tourism is a cure of this.
In the macro scale, we picked several typical industry and connected them with an arranged a scenic route.
1. Lime kilns and the processing workshop
2. A large platform from mountain digging 3. A big valley from mountain digging 4. A bare cliff from the ore mining 5. Scattered lime stones left from the ore mining |
1. Ecologically reformed lime kiln relics
2. The big platform was reformed into a grove acting as the recreational service area 3. Cliff experience area |
Important cultural scenic spots selection and primary route planning
We added multiple spots along the route. Spot 1 is a tour of the industry relics. These relics became the memory of times, arousing people’s introspection of industry vs. nature and past vs. future. The second spot is a folk culture demonstration and experiencing area. In special festivals as “the God of kilns festival”, grand celebrating activities would take place here. The third spot was an exhibition of the folk art. The fourth spot was a center of outdoor sports such as hiking, rock climbing and orienteering.
Route designing sketch
In the architecture, several scenic spots were also designed.
Scenic spots in the architecture
TECHNICAL GRAPHS
1. Plan Drafts
2. Plans
3. Construction Detail
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