Community Art Gallery Renovation: APM Gallery in Haikou by Dazhou And Associates

In early 2021, the Noya team proposed the renovation of Haikou GAOXINGLI, aiming to infuse contemporary art into the community. Dazhou and Associates, led by Tang Dazhou, took on the challenge of transforming a newly built two-story building into a vibrant community art gallery. This project, known as the APM Gallery, is situated in a commercial block and aims to invigorate the east side of the area with its innovative design.

Site and Structure

Corridors and Courtyard

Addressing the site was a paramount consideration. Given its commercial location, the APM Gallery isn’t designed as a traditional art palace. Instead, the architects introduced a ring of modestly scaled corridors around the original building. These corridors guide foot traffic and invite community members to explore the gallery. Ground-level openings in the exhibition walls extend the indoor art dialogue outdoors, allowing passersby to catch glimpses of the displayed artworks. This approach transforms the art journey into a curiosity-driven experience. The circular corridors enclose a courtyard, which, though small, has the potential to become an outdoor exhibition and event space in the future.

Stacking and Arraying

Ascending from the corridors, three volumes gracefully stack, creating a sculptural presence for the petite gallery. These overhanging volumes blur the floor divisions, lending the gallery a grand yet modest appearance. The new structural system integrates with the original building, reorganizing the modules to create a regular vertical division on the facade. This design echoes the weathered steel plates of the surrounding red brick buildings, enhancing the gallery's appeal over time.

Interior Spaces

Black Gallery

The ground floor features the Black Gallery, a space with unique spatial attributes that seamlessly melds indoor and outdoor experiences. Dark steel plates create serene light and shadow effects within the gallery, enhancing the viewing experience.

White Gallery

Upstairs, the White Gallery offers a contrasting experience with its controllable lighting and open roof. This space invites natural daylight, creating an ideal environment for art exhibitions. Curators may prefer this gallery for its versatile lighting and expansive feel.

Architectural Expression

The design of the APM Gallery embraces the abundant sunlight and humid weather of Haikou. On sunny days, light dances on the rusted steel plate facade, creating dynamic shadows. During rainy days, the gallery takes on a captivating, serene appearance, resembling a silent leviathan at the block's end.

The APM Gallery in Haikou, designed by Dazhou and Associates, exemplifies a successful community art gallery renovation. By integrating contemporary art into the community and utilizing innovative architectural strategies, the gallery brings vitality to the area. This project showcases how thoughtful design can transform a commercial space into a cultural hub, fostering a deeper connection between art and the community.

All photographs are work of Dong Image, Fangfang Tian