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Chinese Centre

Part 1 Project 2008
Lowri Roberts
Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool | UK
An issue raised by the government in past months was the economical importance of China as a country, the prime minister, Gordon Brown delivered a wake-up call to Britain on how to survive globalization, and even prosper. China is not only seen as a new rival, but a new provider, from an economical sense the need for communication abilities could possibly be a prosperous strategy for Liverpool and the UK.


It is evidential that the people who used to be able to make their way in the world as a monolingual English speakers are now finding that they have to compete with people who are genuinely multilingual. One way in which this could be achieved, is the learning of the Chinese Language. Mastering the beautiful art of Chinese Calligraphy and making handmade paper would separate the Centre from any other.


By making use of unwanted paper that is degraded from the average household, the prospect of transforming an unused material into an exquisite piece of art, furthermore attaining a level of achievement in the Chinese Language.


An unique centre that experiments with light, texture and space. The paper will be made in the centre will also become a part of the architecture, as it hangs from various spaces in the building. The Paper as an object has a textured exterior surface, the centre becomes a manifestation of this, walls that imitate the qualities of handmade paper. The study of paper enhanced the proposal integrating layers, allowing participants to voyage through into varied spaces.



Urbanistically, the building terminates the main axial route in Liverpool’s Chinatown as a ‘floating garden’ and a place for contemplation – an apt gesture for the oldest settlement in Europe.

The project is devised around the world of paper-making both as a creative and didactical process where technical requirements such as the drying (solar wall) of hand made paper and its storage (hanging room) are celebrated as architectural features.

Whether be the act of making or buying paper, to the learning of calligraphy and drinking tea, programmes transcend beyond into the realms of ritualisation striking resonation with eastern thinking.




2008
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