Imagine a voyage into the future in the heart of Yantai, a captivating coastal city in China. Here nestled within a serene seaside park, a revelation transcends time—the Space Crystals museum— a digital space museum born from the imaginative minds at Beijing-based architecture practice, OPEN. It beckons, much like an extra-terrestrial artefact descending from the cosmos, urging all to embark on a celestial odyssey right here on Earth.

But the journey extends beyond the Space Crystals. Picture another wonder, the Sea Square, a library and community service centre that appears to gracefully float upon a restored square dock by the sea. It is as though the past and the present engage in a harmonious dialogue, gazing toward a shared future. Together, they are shaping Yantai into a realm where history converges seamlessly with the cosmos. Exploring the inspiration behind these projects and their visionary concepts, STIR delves into how these two wonders are poised to become the beating heart of community engagement in Yantai, offering a fresh perspective on the city’s rich history while embracing its future. This is a place where architecture is more than just a structure; it is an immersive experience envisioned by the architects.

“This district of Yantai where the two projects are located has witnessed rapid growth in both manufacturing and population during the past couple of decades. Yet the area significantly lacks cultural facilities and seaside amenities for the local community as compared to older districts. The Space Crystal will provide stimulating and immersive exhibitions related to space, and the Sea Square will provide much-needed beachfront amenities. Besides serving the local community, both projects will contribute to the effort of making the beachfront of Yantai a more attractive destination for wider visitors,” shares Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, from OPEN Architecture, with STIR.

Situated within an oval clearing of a woody seaside park, Space Crystals aims to invite visitors with its enigmatic charm. This museum architecture is conceived as an otherworldly object that might leave you in awe as you approach. Its photovoltaic glass façade is envisioned to cover it with a mystical sheen, casting an air of mystery over the landscape. The architects have planned for its long axis to point towards the ocean and the sky, giving the impression that it is poised to take a giant leap from earth to space.

As visitors approach the entrance, which is located on the southern side, they may find themselves at the precipice of this structure. The exhibition space is designed to cantilever outward, offering an enticing glimpse of what lies within. The multifunctional black box theatre and a cosy café are also part of the architects’ vision accessible from a separate side entry to ensure convenience even when the museum is closed.

As you step inside and journey beneath the cantilevered structure, you will arrive at the central atrium, a 20-metre-high polyhedral void in the architects’ plan. Natural light would gently cascade down from above, captivating your senses and drawing your gaze upwards. The polygonal surfaces would be designed to refract light, creating a dynamic interplay of monolithic white plains that change in appearance with the passing time and weather conditions.

The atrium is intended to serve as both a central public space within the building and an exhibition space for large hanging objects and digital projections. The architects have proposed a spiralling ramp that leads upwards, connecting various exhibition spaces and gradually immersing visitors in the wonders of the deep universe. For those seeking a quicker route, a bright-coloured stair is part of the design plan.

At the pinnacle of the spiral, an outdoor terrace would unfold dramatically, revealing an awe-inspiring view of the ocean. This vista envisioned by the architects underlines the beauty of our planet and its endless sea and sky. Their vision is to foster a connection between our existence and the vastness of the universe through this immersive experience.

The seemingly monolithic façade of the museum is designed to be constructed from two types of dark grey glass panels: photovoltaic and back-painted. The photovoltaic glass on the sun-facing south façade would use thin-film power generation technology, covering approximately 50 per cent of the building’s surface area. This forward-thinking approach aims to harness solar power for the building’s general lighting needs and collect rainwater through special channels, which would then be used for landscape irrigation.

In the quest to find a site for a seaside communal service building, the architects stumbled upon the remains of a fishing boat dock and repair facility. This square platform, complete with a jetty for boats and embedded metal tracks for repairs had witnessed the passage of time and urbanisation. Though abandoned and dilapidated, it retained its essence, enabling the integration of a humble building into the site, thus came the idea of a Sea Square.

Speaking on the restoration of the boat repair dock, the Chinese architects share with STIR, “Memories can be fleeting for a place that has gone through rapid transformation in a short period of time. While we celebrate the advancement resulting from urbanisation on many fronts, losing personal or sensible connections to the land contributes to increased anxieties in our modern societies. By preserving traces of Chinese architecture, but adapting them to contemporary life, the past comes into contact with current and future, a connection to the land may be restored on both cognitive and haptic realms”.

The Sea Square encompasses a square dock with a jetty that projects far into the ocean, featuring embedded metal tracks that once served as a lifeline for fishing boats. Although long abandoned and dilapidated, the architects recognised the potential to breathe new life into the site. The cultural architecture project was executed with care, preserving the historical essence of the place. The jetty and its boat tracks were returned to their original state, maintaining their original character, and the square boat repair dock was transformed into a paved public plaza, paying homage to the old metal tracks used for boat maintenance.

Lightweight and factory-prefabricated steel structures were used to minimise disturbance to the oceanfront site and ensure a speedy construction schedule. The façade cladding composed of locally quarried granite with distinctive patterns reminiscent of ink dissolving in water, harmonises the building with its natural surroundings.

The Sea Square boasts a two-storey quad building adorned with local granite Shanshui stone. The library and community center appears to float above the plaza while framing a breathtaking ocean view. This architectural feat defines the spatial boundary of the plaza, offering a space that not only cradles and protects the site but also preserves the memories of the past. Reclaimed old materials such as cobblestone and reclaimed stone from the original site, are thoughtfully integrated into the building’s design, as planned by the architects.

The Plaza is set to become a vibrant gathering place for locals, hosting cultural and leisure programmes, including a library, restaurant, coffee shop and beach services as well as weekend markets and special events including traditional fishing village festivities like the Yu Deng Festival. Misting devices and fountains would be incorporated, adding a joyful touch to the experience.

Both the Space Crystals and Sea Square are designed to serve the local community while attracting visitors from far and wide. The Space Crystals, with its immersive exhibitions related to space, ignites curiosity and pride in a city that can claim the title of being the hometown of China’s first female spacewalker. Sea Square, with its beachfront amenities, fills a significant void in the local landscape, offering essential services and attractions. Together these two buildings are set to foster a profound sense of belonging among the residents, connecting the community to its rich history and propelling it towards a promising future.