George Goddard

WULONG VILAGE CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTRE

As an addition to the redevelopment plans for ‘Wolongpu, the ancient fishing village’, this Cultural Heritage Centre aims to inform, educate, celebrate, and inspire locals through their ancestors’ achievements and way of life. A combination of exhibition spaces, workshops, and a lecture hall create an environment that encourages learning and gives the village history a sense of importance.

Upon approach, guests are guided to the formal reception in the ‘right wing’, where local contemporary pieced are exhibited and available to buy. The ‘left wing’ is where the museum is located, followed by the historic reflection lounge which overlooks the adjoining Trien Temple; the centre is arranged in this way in recognition of the spatial arrangement of old/young hierarchy in historic Chinese residences.

Linking what appears to be two separate buildings is an underground level, where workshops and the lecture hall are found alongside the library and seating/dining area. Oversized windows facing to the sunken internal courtyard fill these spaces with light, mirroring the ground level interior facades and providing a pleasant outlook.

Thoughtfully considered scale, material, orientation and plan arrangement result in a scheme that fits sympathetically into its context while being intriguing and welcoming.