The mirrored Cloud 9 Sports Center, envisioned as “a luminous cloud” with a wavy shape, has been developed by global architecture studio MAD.
Designed for the Chinese city of Shijiazhuang in the Hebei Province, the 6,000-square-meter structure will include retail areas in addition to a sports complex featuring a gym and tennis courts.
Its undulating shape was designed to resemble “a luminous ‘cloud’ that mirrors the natural surroundings”, according to the studio. The building will be located in the northern part of the city’s Central Park.
In order to reflect the surrounding park, MAD covered Cloud 9 Sports Center with a metallic-coated, translucent ETFE membrane material that produces a reflected image.
Inside, the silvery facade is contrasted with orange hues. The translucent membrane of the building provides views inside the sports center, further emphasizing the activities within.
The top story will have floor to ceiling windows that look out over the park around the athletics center beneath the roof.
The first floor of the building faces the park and has been partially covered in greenery to assist it blend in. Additionally, outdoor tennis courts, public places, and green spaces were meant to blend in with the existing park.
With an integrated design, MAD aimed to “enhance both its functionality and environmental sustainability” when creating the Cloud 9 Sports Center.
This includes air circulation and subterranean ventilation through cooling towers located on the second story.
A semi-outdoor staircase was constructed to the building’s exterior on the side facing Central Park. This stair allows gym patrons and members of the public to access the third floor and a rest bar situated along it.
Here, the studio claims that MAD designed an observation platform that provides “panoramic views” of both Shijiazhuang and Central Park.
In order to maximize natural light, the building also features an indoor tennis court that is connected to a commercial street and an underground subway. All of these features are hidden behind a glass curtain wall.
The Cloud 9 Sports Center is slated to be finished in 2025; construction got underway in March 2024.
Recently, MAD revealed a number of forthcoming sculpture projects in China, such as a wave-shaped art center in Nanhai and an airport with a “bird-like” top.
