‘The Boundary of Mountains and the Sea’- Renovation of Xiangshan Sluice Gate

The coast of the East China Sea, Ningbo Xiangshan, with its unique geographical advantages, has nurtured rich natural landscape and profound cultural heritage. The East Sea, a vast expanse of green, shimmering islands scattered across the sea, like pearls scattered on the sea, and the rolling mountains set off.

The area where the project is located, known as "Rice Bucket Mountain", has gradually developed into an outdoor lifestyle destination popular with young people, thanks to its humorous place names and original natural environment.

The renovation project of Ningbo Xiangshan sluice Gate designed by MARS Studio is located on the south side of Daoren Mountain in Tuci Town. The lock separates the Wai Tu seawall from the inside, and the magnificent scenery of the chaotic reef and ocean can be overlooked from the outside.

The renovation project of Ningbo Xiangshan sluice Gate designed by MARS Studio is located on the south side of Daoren Mountain in Tuci Town. The lock separates the Wai Tu seawall from the inside, and the magnificent scenery of the chaotic reef and ocean can be overlooked from the outside.

In the context of the city, the sluice is like a silent guardian, quietly fulfilling its duties and often being ignored out of sight. However, the new image of the sluice is designed to awaken this silence and inspire people to think about the profound relationship between people and the environment.

Our design is inspired by the magnificent picture of distant mountains and rivers, and after careful transformation, the form of the sluice takes on a new look. The new facade design, like a rolling mountain, seamlessly integrates with the natural landscape and becomes a continuation of the mountains. The new facade not only creates a dynamic rhythm visually, but also responds spatially to the mountains in the distance, as if it were an architectural reproduction of a masterpiece of nature.

Taking into account its unique geographical location and magnificent volume, we tried to respond to the facade renovation of the sluice from two aspects: on the one hand, to meet the functional needs of the sluice - as a connection point for traffic and a key facility for water resource regulation; On the other hand, focus on the environment of the sluice, dialogue with the landscape, and explore its potential as a spatial landmark and public.

Our design emphasizes the clarity of the building's boundaries and the transparency of its skin, aiming to create a spatial experience that is both independent and integrated: the solid boundaries give the building strength and security, while the transparent skin allows the space to permeate the surrounding environment and become part of the vast nature.

Another memory of the sluice lies in the blurring effect of its skin, which creates a wonderful chemical reaction with the pure natural environment of Xiangshan. The translucent nature of the metal mesh releases a calm and stable mood, allowing the building to penetrate into the surrounding landscape, not only maintaining the independence, unity and wind resistance of the building, but also forming a harmonious dialogue with the natural landscape.

Here, the sluice has become a "mountain and sea boundary" with mountains, lakes and seas. The sluice is not only a functional infrastructure, but also a bridge linking nature and culture. Through the transformation, the sluice will become a local public space for reflection and dialogue, inviting each passing visitor to reflect on our inextricable connection to the environment and to experience the peace that exists in harmony with nature.

Project Name: ‘The Boundary of Mountains and the Sea’ - Renovation of Xiangshan Sluice Gate
Design Firm: MARS Studio
Design Time: 2023.02-2023.09
Completion: 2024.05
Project Location: Ningbo, Xiangshan, Zhejiang
Building Area: 1200sqm
Principal Architect: Ma Ning
Design Team: Yu Haochen, Liu Shiyu, Wang Tianqi, Zhang Chen
Curtain wall Design: Liu Mingwei
Lighting Design: Xun Guang Design
Photography: Arch-Exist Photography