Quzhou Sports Park

MAD’s design for Quzhou sports park embeds the functions of the sports park within natural forms, creating an earth-art landscape in the center of the city.

The perimeter of the site is surrounded by a dense forest of high-standing trees that secludes the uninhabited land from the city. As one enters, the view suddenly opens up towards broad horizons and the bright sky, while simultaneously appearing as a martian landscape, mysterious and illusory. As people move through the park, they drift, climb, and traverse the terrain.

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.

The buildings in the park breakaway from that of traditional stadiums and athletic complexes that typically highlight structural power, transformed by a more intrinsic and subtle beauty. The interiors and exteriors of the buildings are connected to nature, providing an openness towards the landscape for people from anywhere, so that they always feel like they are immersed in nature. Pathways between the mountains and the lake meander over and through the architecture. They encourage people to slowly walk around the park, run along the trails, or just enjoy a seat on the lawn to take in the scenery.

The “peaks” and “mountainsides” of several of the “hills” are designed with platforms or skylights that allow natural light to flood onto the interior, and provide natural ventilation through the buildings. The exteriors are covered in greenery, which while being energy-saving, are also human-scale and accessible.

“Quzhou Sports Park” 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.