The Lifelong Fairytale Residences address the growing demand for elderly housing in urban China, aiming to create a vibrant living environment for retired professionals. Located in Beijing’s Fengtai District near the Lize Business District, the project benefits from excellent amenities and convenient transportation, including proximity to a subway station and major hospitals.
The 49,000 square meter project includes 37,000 square meters above ground for assisted and independent living units, a medical rehabilitation center, dining facilities, and more. The 12,000 square meters underground space, organized around a sunken courtyard, hosts a multifunctional hall, gym, and spa.
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Global Future Design Awards 2024
Lifelong fairytale Residences
Housing Architecture (Under Construction)
Firm
Shanghai PTArchitects + ACC, GAD Design Group Ltd.
Architect/Designer
Sun Zhanhui, Zhang Yu, Tan Si, Yu Si
Design Team
Shanghai PTArchitects
Location
Beijing, China
Country
China
Photographer/Copyright
©China Overseas Property
Website
N/A
Instagram
N/A
Key Design Principles:
- Maximized Natural Light: Respecting the daily habits of the elderly by maximizing the use of natural light to enhance comfort.
- Shared Public Spaces: Creating multifunctional areas to support social interaction.
- Flexible and Adaptable Spaces: Optimizing layout for efficiency and diverse needs.
Layout and Features:
- Building Arrangement: The T-shaped building with a primary entrance on the north side creates a forecourt space and includes public amenities. The southern side maximizes sunlight exposure, integrating indoor spaces with gardens. The northwest public lounge connects with a nearby kindergarten, forming an open exchange platform.
- Interior Architecture: The nine-story atrium and reception area foster a warm communal environment, with a sunny living room, bakery, flower shop, supermarket, restaurant, and art studio. Residential units are located on the second floor and above, with independent living units on the west side and semi-assisted and fully-assisted units on the east side. Themed roof gardens on the 8th and 9th floors provide natural scenic spaces.
Design Challenges and Solutions:
Sunlight Setback Requirements: The design maximized buildable volume while adhering to strict regulations, using sunlit atriums to enhance internal shared spaces and create a comfortable living environment.
Innovative Design Elements:
- Sunlight Utilization: Within limited site conditions, the design maximizes rooms receiving sunlight through atriums, enhancing natural lighting in internal spaces to meet the needs of seniors in northern Chinese cities.
- Open Interaction: Integrating the northwest-side kindergarten with a public lounge creates an intergenerational space, promoting interaction between residents and the younger generation.
- Shared Facilities: Public amenities are designed to serve both the residents and the surrounding community, fostering social engagement and convenience.
- Flexible Spaces: Sunlit atriums connect above-ground activity spaces with sunken courtyards, allowing residents to enjoy a wide range of facilities without leaving the building.
- Façade Design: The façade design emphasizes comfort and diversity, using horizontal warm white glazed ceramic tiles contrasted with vertical wooden elements. The inclusion of a spiral staircase adds a playful transport element and serves as a visual focal point. Multi-level greening enhances the ecological aspect, allowing residents easy access to nature..
Sustainability:
The project employs passive and active design strategies, incorporating renewable energy technologies to achieve energy savings and emissions reduction. Features include an air-source heat pump system, high-performance windows, a photovoltaic power generation system, and independent metering systems to enhance building efficiency and meet sustainability goals.