MAD Architects / Yabuli Conference Centre. China
The Yabuli Congress Centre, situated in the mountains of Northeast China, stands as a significant meeting place for Chinese and international entrepreneurs alike to gather and share ideas. The four-storey building is built around a large 1,000-seat auditorium that occupies one side of the venue, while a series of smaller auditoriums, an exhibition hall and meeting rooms are on the other. The building, equipped with various functional spaces, makes the “permanent conference site” a complex integrating conferences, training, and think tank activities. The permanent forum is open to the public on weekdays. Visitors can learn about the 100-year history of entrepreneurs at the China Entrepreneurs Museum, and can also participate in small activities in the public space in the lobby.
MAD’s scheme, evokes the concept of a tent sitting at the foot of a mountain, with its soft, curving, silver-white rooftop echoing the snow-capped hills surrounding it. Casually mirroring its mountainous backdrop, it reaches a maximum height of 24 meters, allowing it to settle quietly into the landscape. While humble in its presence, it does not lose the dynamic atmosphere of northern China – integrated with the sky, the ground, the snow, the forest, and the mountains.
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