Exhibition Hall No. 3
Between the structure and the spirit of architecture, we have always pondered: when industrialized construction pursues the utmost technical precision, how can space retain the authentic, breathing essence of architecture?
Exhibition Hall No. 3, Hubei Construction Engineering Industry & Technology Park is not merely a breakthrough in prefabricated construction technology; it is also a practice of the architectural philosophy of "winning more with less, and great skill appearing as clumsiness." In this project, we have integrated the traditional East Asian aesthetic concept of "blankness" (liubai) into the logic of contemporary industrial construction, exploring the possibility of coexistence between technology and art within a unified system of tectonic principles.
Structure Recedes, Space Retains Blankness
Prefabricated buildings often risk becoming cold, rigid parameter-displays due to the simple stacking of components. This project abandons the cumbersome convention of "multi-component collage" and introduces a strategy of "system decoupling and component integration"—concealing complex support structures and MEP systems from view, and returning spatial agency to humanity and nature. The building employs a portal frame structure to bear primary loads, while precast curved components are applied as pure cladding; the two systems operate with clear division of labor. The naturally formed structural gaps are transformed into invisible "service zones," where HVAC, fire-fighting, and electrical conduits are all fully integrated. This "absolute purification" of the interface represents not only the withdrawal of technology, but also an "ordered blankness" of space.
One Mold, Multiple Uses; Imagery Retains Blankness
"Blankness" is not merely physical emptiness, but a "void" imbued with infinite possibility. We creatively introduced a "positive-negative molding" strategy, breaking the linear mindset of "one mold, one product." The same set of molds is used in positive orientation to produce roof arc panels, and in reverse to generate exterior and interior wall units. The arc-shaped components serve as acoustic diffuse-reflection surfaces in the lecture hall, and as continuous display niches tailored to exhibits in the exhibition hall. Without superfluous decoration, a single component autonomously generates function and imagery across different contexts, responding to complex construction demands with minimal component types (few specifications, high integration)—thereby maximizing respect for materials and molds.
Authentic Materials, Visual Blankness
The project employs Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to create thin, lightweight, and gracefully curved interfaces. Through precise factory prefabrication, the component surfaces exhibit fine, continuous saw-tooth textures that, under the play of natural light, interweave into warm and subtle chiaroscuro. Both interior and exterior finishes are presented directly with exposed UHPC components as the final surface—confronting viewers with an "unadorned face." This pure materiality, free of superficial coatings, together with natural light and shadow, constitutes a visual "blankness of color and material"—shattering the stereotypical impression of precast concrete as rough and cold.
As a "Hubei Provincial Prefabricated Construction Demonstration Project" achieving a 100% prefabrication rate, it not only proves that high assembly rates and high spatial quality can go hand in hand, but also, through this tectonic logic of "macro-separation and micro-integration," completes a dialogue between technology and art. In an age of industrial complexity, we employ refined tectonic retreat to carve out a pure physical and spiritual realm, allowing the architecture to breathe naturally within poetic "blankness."
CREDITS
Design Firm: (Responsible for conceptual planning and main design：AIR-CoLAB Studio
Executive Architect (Responsible for concept development, construction drawings, and project delivery): The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD)
Lead architects: Zaiguo Lin（AIR-CoLAB Studio), Yuping Wang（UAD）
