Nanchang Waves Community Centre is built of fiberglass reinforced concrete

The Nordic Office of Architecture of Oslo, Norway, is the designer of the recently completed multifunctional complex in the Chinese city of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The design of "Nanchang Waves" was inspired by the surrounding swamp. Located on the border of the Elephant Lake Wetlands Park, the 5,844-square-meter complex offers a stunning spatial experience where the forms of the building and the surrounding landscape blend almost seamlessly. The tower formed by a double helix is the main 3D element of the design, offering visitors 360-degree views along the length of the meandering building.

The concept for Nanchang Waves is derived from the surrounding marshy landscape. In fact, from a distance, the complex could easily be mistaken for a large water park. The curved walkways resemble a meandering river, and the contours of the adjacent lake are reflected in the "rippling" architecture.

A construction with challenging shapes

The peripheral steel support structure has a unique shape consisting of a series of curved and twisted steel components. The outer curtain wall consists of a series of randomly curved GGB (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) panels. As the manufacturer of the GGB panels for this project, BeiILiDa New Material System Engineering has already developed and applied a number of innovative and patented GGB products and mounting systems to similar geometrically complex projects over the past few years. The precast concrete manufacturer devised solutions capable of overcoming any difficulty and meeting any requirement. For hyperbolic GGB cladding, a construction technology was developed to create a highly accurate, fully secured and specially shaped GGB cladding, which can be modified and/or removed. The application of BIM technology has enabled the sharing of design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance data with other involved parties.

The power of white cement

Aalborg White 52.5 cement, produced by the Cementir plant in the city of Anqing, is the white cement used in the production of this project's GGB products. Because white cement possesses an extremely high degree of purity and stability, producers of GGB products like to use white cement in their finished products. The high degree of purity and stability is the solution for all colored concrete products. Even in architectural products that have gray cement as a base, white cement is used to achieve even surface color. The chemical stability of the white cement determines the quality of the final product.   

Construction Info

Architect
Architecture Nordic Office of Architecture, Oslo, Norway

Constructor
Rambøll Gruppe A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark

Fiberglass reinforced concrete
BeiLiDa New Material System Engineering co. Ltd., Nanjing, China

AALBORG WHITE® CEMENT
Aalborg Portland Co., Ltd., Anqing, China