Construction breaks ground at the Quzhou Sports Campus designed by MAD Architects, in the historic city of Quzhou, in China’s eastern coastal province of Zhejiang. Led by Ma Yansong, Founder, MAD Architects, the campus has been designed as a poetic landscape that integrates the functions of the sports park within natural forms.The Beijing-based firm takes inspiration from the city’s thousands of years of history and its lush forestland covering more than 70% of the land. “With this in mind, MAD envisions a surreal, ethereal and tranquil artistic landscape in this modern city, like a mirage, that has the potential to become a place of spiritual belonging for the future of the city,” states MAD Architects.Spread over nearly 700,000 square meters, the campus design includes a stadium (30,000 seats), gymnasium (10,000 seats), natatorium (2,000 seats), national sports complex, outdoor sports venue, science & technology museum, hotel accommodations, youth center, and retail programs. «We dream not only of creating an urban space about sports and ecology but also turning it into a unique land art park for the world, establishing a relationship between the city’s heritage and history of Shanshui culture,» says Ma Yansong.“Resembling a crater, the stadium sits into the ground, forming a deep space. It is crowned by a translucent ‘halo’ that gently hovers above the ground like a floating cloud. Its proximity to the earth makes it seem within reach – close but untouchable – inviting people to engage in a dialogue between the earth and the sky, and discover spiritual truth. The adjacent rolling ‘hills’ on the northeast side form the gymnasium, natatorium, and training centre. Above are public spaces and natural scenery that attract people to look up and pause in a moment of contemplation,” describes MAD.The structural power of the traditional stadiums and athletic complexes is replaced by a more intrinsic and subtle beauty in MAD’s design. “‘Quzhou Sports Campus’ abandons the traditional urban construction model of conventional large square landmarks. Drawing on land art and the natural landscape, it forms a unique urban space, one that is embedded in the spiritual understanding of the people, nature, and culture of the city,” adds MAD.Ma Yansong adds: «The relationship between man and nature is not only about ecology and sustainability, but it is also about spirit and mood. This is the culture and philosophy that has long existed in the history of this land and needs to be applied in the development of our future cities.»Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the project.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/                                 Founder: Louise Blouin   Read more