continuous connections between china and italy began in the 13th century with the voyage of marco polo and the subsequent fictionalization of
his travels in ' il milione.' for the italian trade center 'i principi d'italia', mdu architetti sought to make manifest the tectonic complexities of
venetian architecture within the dense urbanity of china. the architectural expression of this historical encounter finds its concept in the idea
of voyage and narration, and is directly materialized in an intricate, welded lattice facade that is at once light-emitting and shading. the whole
structure is conceived as a city, sporting a variety of public piazzas and small 'campielli', characteristically italian narrow streets. the constant
presence of water is the starting point for a meditation that immediately evokes the water-towns of the jiangnan region as well as venice.
spatially, the building is organized around a public square and park delimited by the carefully composed transparent screen that clads choice
areas of the soaring form. traditional chinese curving lattice-work and venetian medieval stone frames informed the lace of the exterior skin.

 

 

 

 

a view through the trees shows the soaring form

 

 


the business of the city frames the tower

 

 

 

construction views display the complex lattice cladding

 

 

 the building skin recalls the curving patterns of chinese screens and venetian medieval stone work

 

 


the facade

 

 

construction view 

 

 

glazing is offset from the shading screen 

 

 

the building envelope is at once light-admitting and protective 

 

 


view down the portico

 

 

 city views through the lace-like skin

 

 

workers haul one of the welded, lattice-like facade on site

 

 


working view shows the welded pieces at full scale

 

 

detail view of the facade  in progress

 

 

 


the models

 

 

 

project info:

 

 

project name: italian trade center “i principi d'italia”

program: trade center, office tower, residential tower

client: xu quiu lin_giulin group branch

architects: mdu architetti (valerio barberis, alessandro corradini, cristiano cosi, marcello marchesini)

collaborators: eugenio salvetti, dante vinciguerra

local partner: design institute zhe jiang jing jian