Archinect
UNFOLD PLANE

UNFOLD PLANE

Los Angeles, CA | Chicago, IL | Hangzhou, CN

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Vanke Lyf Hotel Orange Funnel

The original entrance to Lyf hotel from the garage is concealed amidst a maze of parking stalls, making it challenging for hotel residents to navigate through the dimly lit ground filled with vehicles and machinery.

The only group of people who could navigate through this maze is the property management with pre-trained knowledge, while it takes a certain length of time for the residents living here to be familiar with the intricate layout. This is a common dilemma for nearly every parking facility. Drivers are forced to make immediate decisions about where to park at the moment they enter the "dark jungle" or inevitably they will go through a certain number of paths in various direction before they spot the right one.

The hidden core of parking planning is to respond to the dominance of its occupants, the cars and the servant(the machine and pipes), and to how driving and walking through the parking affects our perception of entrances and information conveyed by signs of all kinds. Much like the billboard on the roadside or the eye-catching color in commercials. These relationship, and combination between the sign and underground space, could raise the discussion on information and speed, on symbolism and architecture, on form and meaning, and on the inequity between residents and maintenance professionals.

To address this issue, an orange-colored funnel/human duct is strategically inserted between the lanes and the elevator lobby, with the interconnection to the MEP spaces on both sides. With the application of perforated metal panel, it permits the light omitting inside out. This installation serves as a prominent signage for the hotel and relevant doorways to MEP spaces, acting as a beacon amidst the surrounding vehicles.

 
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Status: Built
Location: Hangzhou, CN
Firm Role: Lead Architect
Additional Credits: Contractor:
Hangzhou Chiyuan Advertisement Co., Ltd.