Standing on a concrete foundation, the minimalist stone building is covered with aga clay – a waterproofing and heat insulation material commonly used in Tibetan vernacular architecture. It is also useful for forming gutters that ensure the turf-covered roof is well drained. Standard Architecture’s unique geometric design pays respect to the surrounding landscape of mountains, rivers, and canyons at the same time that its four entrances are wrapped around a more immediate central courtyard. And finally, out of deference to the amazing Potala Palace in Lhasa, the designers chose a bright white paint for the exterior, giving this humble space a rustic but contemporary finish.
+ Standard Architecture
Via Designboom
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The Chinese government may not be celebrated for supporting Tibetan culture, but the Beijing-based design firm Standard Architecture is. Winners of the international “Architecture in Stone 2011” award from Marmomacc for the striking Niyang River Visitor Center and two other buildings in Tibet, their efforts to incorporate local materials and building techniques into their projects have not gone unrecognized. Completed in June, 2011, the attractive white visitor center on Mirui Road is an open geometric…
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This beautiful stone building is located on a tourist road in Tibet
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The Chinese designers employed both local materials and techniques used in traditional Tibetan architecture
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The geometric volume is covered in aga clay, which acts as a waterproofing and insulation material
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The geometric design is emblematic of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and canyons
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All four irregularly shaped entrances are wrapped around a central courtyard
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The designers chose to paint the building white out of deference to the holy Potala Palace in Lhasa.
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