The channels of modernisation, development and progress are far from uniform for a city’s entire urban fabric. While some pockets morph and mutate to adapt to changing eras and their fleeting aesthetics, some zones fail to keep up with the breakneck pace—slowly, and silently, retreating into decay and obsoletion.  The plight of these areas becomes a breeding ground of complex issues such as congestion, unsanitary conditions and crime; it does not, however, necessitate an absence of value or potential. Chaichanglong, situated in the old city of Shaoxing in China, emphasises the possibilities of preservation by representing the first organic renewal zone in the old town. One striking example of this regeneration is Stellar Isle, a leisure and cultural building in the region.

Home to numerous historical buildings from various eras—many of which are in a damaged state—Chaichanglong spans an area of about 23,500 square metres, situated opposite the former residence of female revolutionist Qui Jin and overlooking Pagoda Hill to the north. Following a five-year renovation, several buildings have been preserved, new buildings and skywalks have been constructed, and the area has transformed into a potpourri of structures from different periods. Amidst this setting, Stellar Isle by SpActrum strikes a dialogue with the diverse surroundings. The building establishes a relationship between architecture and the site, conceived through close collaboration with structural engineers. “The aim is to maintain architecture as a generative force of culture. To achieve this, a series of details and constructions have been developed to find a material language for these ideas and responses,” reads the official release.

The original site where Stellar Isle is now perched featured a four-storeyed veranda-style dormitory building from the 1970s and 1980s—a typical brick and concrete construction. The porch, opening to the east, is encased by a mottled wall around the courtyard. A classical building's deteriorating gable leans at an angle on one side of the second floor. On the fourth floor, one could observe the surrounding buildings' damaged roof tiles—the rooftop offering a panoramic view of the damage. The site of the severely debilitated old building and the land to its south became the location for Stellar Isle. As a consequence, the cultural architecture embodies the narrative of the past site.

The site, as opposed to architecture, is free and undefined. The architects, with an intent to reflect the urban fabric of the site and extend the public space, envision a superposition of cascading surfaces or ‘stacking grounds.’ Fragmented planes create overlapping and continuous paths spiralling up the southern side of the public architecture. These planes, evocative of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Wright's Guggenheim Museum, shapeshift as passageways and grandstands for people to gather. On the fourth floor, these ‘stacking grounds’ reach outwards as a tribute to the classical buildings to the north, serving as viewing platforms for the panoramic views. The roof also partakes in this composition of cascading surfaces.

On the north side, walls and sliding doors mark the interior spaces on each floor. On the other hand, the surfaces branch into corridors on the east side, creating platforms enveloping the building as viewing stands. As they move up to the second floor the surfaces connect to the other side of the Chaichanglong site—aiming to blur the boundaries between the architecture and its surroundings. The interior design is conceived to be free and open, surrounded by changing views and interactions with the outdoors.

Despite the historical context of the site for the building, the architects resort to largely contemporary materials and construction techniques. The metallic surfaces and large-span spaces stand in stark contrast to the ancient timber and concrete architecture in the vicinity. “This building, not intended to be iconic, speaks with a voice that is distinctly contemporary in a corner of Shaoxing's old town. It aims to return architecture to its role as a generative force in culture through a dedicated exploration of architecture's fundamental issues, rather than relying on established symbols,” states the official release.

The structure is realised by adding beams on either side of the planes, interconnected at the corners. Some beams intersect halfway in height, while others do not, presenting a need for short columns for connection. The complex structural system is achieved through rigorous calculations and contemporary digital manufacturing methods. As architecture and structural innovation intersect, the final edifice becomes reflective of its era. This modern intervention, however, maintains a respectful distance from the nearby timber architecture; the space between the old and the new is filled with large structural cantilevers resting on front and rear triangular frames.

Diverse logics come into play to shape Stellar Isle: technical details and regulations, historical context and the architect’s vision. The resulting architectural work, hence, moves freely between these spheres, all the while striving to represent the current social and technical conditions in contemporary society and its intricate web of logical frameworks.