Seeing this stunning building that resembles an ice sculpture, do you think you are in the cold zone of Heilongjiang? In fact, this is the newly completed “Xinxiang Cultural Tourism Center” in Xinxiang City, Henan Province, China. Designed by Mathieu Forest Architecte and Zone of Utopia, the building is inspired by ice blocks and will be used for winter sports such as skiing.
This travel center is made up of 9 overlapping ice blocks, made of printed glass and steel, with no visible support structure. As we walk closer, we will discover more surreal details of the architecture. The texture of the glass outer wall is composed of a large number of semi-transparent ice crystals, which filter the light from the inside, displaying a dreamy visual effect. From a distance, it looks like a block of ice inhabited by people.
The architecture captures the light of the sky, changing according to the time of day, season, and weather. Sometimes it is bright white in the sunlight; the building becomes misty in cloudy weather, even frosting under certain lights, reflecting the sun and clouds, becoming visible on the texture of frost. This building constantly changes its appearance over time.
These ice cubes have different appearances when viewed from different angles. Looking west from the commercial street, the upper cube seems to move sideways, projecting 34m above the ground, marking the end of perspective. When viewed from the south, the composition is more balanced, resembling a calm facing a lake. From the north, as the main pedestrian thoroughfare, the cube is closer, creating a 34-meter vertical gap. The cube above appears to be floating in the sky like a transparent crystal, captivating onlookers.
Regardless of day or night, it stands tall above the surrounding buildings as a lighthouse. Its light attracts tourists and creates a landmark for the entire community. At night, the outer walls emit light, illuminating the surrounding environment.
This building emits a uniform glow that is impossible to resist, attracting stunning gazes towards it. Are you also captivated by these sparkling ice cubes?
Image source: zone of utopia, Mathieu Forest Architect, arch-exist
