Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen: Architecture Rooted Between Earth and Sky

The Dragon Mountain Tourist Center by Aurelien Chen is a contemporary architectural complex located in Rizhao, China. Completed in 2023, this 1,700 m² tourism and community facility redefines the traditional entrance experience to a natural scenic site. Designed as a fragmented architectural composition embedded within the landscape, the project reflects a profound dialogue between topography, Chinese cosmology, and contemporary architectural language.

Serving as the gateway to the Dragon Mountain natural tourist site, the center integrates ticketing, security, information services, and public gathering spaces within a sculptural yet grounded architectural framework.

Architecture in Harmony with Nature

Fragmented Volumes Adapting to Topography

Rather than imposing a monolithic structure onto the site, Aurelien Chen divided the 3,000 m² surface into five distinct architectural elements. These volumes are carefully positioned around a central square, responding directly to the site’s natural contours.

At the entrance, visitors encounter a powerful axial view framing the mountain. The pathway splits into two lanes: one ascending toward the mountain and another gently descending toward two ponds nestled among trees. The architectural composition follows this movement, subtly guiding circulation while preserving visual connections with the landscape.

The buildings remain low and grounded on the entrance side, gradually rising toward the mountainside. This vertical transition symbolizes the philosophical relationship between Earth and Heaven, a fundamental concept in Chinese tradition and Taoist cosmology. According to Taoism, humans exist within a Cosmic Triad of Earth, Human Being, and Heaven. The architecture embodies this idea physically:

• The lower masses anchor firmly to the Earth.
• The upward geometry reaches toward the Sky.

The result is a poetic spatial narrative where architecture becomes a mediator between landscape and philosophy.

A Reimagined Entrance Gate

Sculpture, Architecture, and Landscape Frame

Unlike conventional Chinese tourist site entrances: typically composed of a public square, monumental sculpture, traditional-style gate, ticketing booth, and information center, the Dragon Mountain Tourist Center merges these functions into one cohesive architectural gesture.

The entrance gate is not simply a portal. It is both sculpture and structure. It incorporates ticket counters on one side and security facilities on the other, while simultaneously acting as a landmark visible from afar.

Composed of three rows of arched walls, the gate defines and shapes the public square. These walls:

• Rise dramatically at their center, echoing surrounding mountain peaks.
• Remain rooted in the ground, reinforcing the Earth connection.
• Create layered spatial sequences that gradually reveal the site.

Notably, there is no traditional door. Instead, a void frames the distant mountain peaks, transforming absence into architectural presence. This framed landscape view becomes the true “gateway,” enhancing anticipation and reinforcing the connection between built form and nature.

The repetition of walls recalls ancient city fortifications and palace enclosures, generating a ceremonial approach sequence while maintaining openness and permeability.

Dialogue Between Solid and Void

One of the project’s defining spatial qualities is the tension between volumes and empty spaces.

The curved building forms generate dynamic perspectives, while the interstitial voids frame landscape views. These carefully crafted openings ensure that the mountain remains visually dominant throughout the visitor’s journey.

Rather than competing with nature, the architecture amplifies it. The voids act as visual corridors, reinforcing the project’s identity as a tourism architecture project deeply embedded in its environmental context.

Material Strategy: Earthy, Raw, and Contextual

Material selection plays a critical role in expressing the project’s philosophical and environmental ambitions.

Stone Cladding

Stone reinforces the idea of mass connected to the Earth. It allows the entrance gate and buildings to blend seamlessly with the mountainous surroundings and local architectural traditions.

Raw Concrete

Concrete cast using wood formwork introduces texture and irregularity reminiscent of natural geological formations. The material choice also ensures practical constructability, allowing efficient construction even with unskilled labor.

Bamboo Screens

A delicate bamboo screen layer softens the transition between heavy stone/concrete masses and transparent glass surfaces. This natural filter:

• Adds warmth and texture
• Enhances environmental performance
• Strengthens the building’s relationship with local materials

The material palette collectively expresses sustainability, regional sensitivity, and timelessness.

Tourism Architecture and Community Integration

The Dragon Mountain Tourist Center goes beyond serving as a functional entry point. It acts as a civic interface between the city of Rizhao and the natural landscape of Dragon Mountain.

By organizing buildings around a central square, the design creates a community-oriented gathering space rather than a purely transactional tourism checkpoint. The square encourages pause, interaction, and contemplation before entering the mountain trails.

This integration of tourism infrastructure with community space reflects contemporary trends in sustainable tourism architecture, where visitor centers function as cultural landmarks rather than isolated service facilities.

A Contemporary Interpretation of Chinese Cosmology

The project subtly incorporates philosophical symbolism without resorting to literal historical imitation. Instead of reproducing traditional gates, the design abstracts their spatial qualities and ceremonial sequencing.

The rising walls evoke mountain silhouettes. The framed void replaces the traditional portal. The fragmentation mirrors natural geological formations.

Through these gestures, Aurelien Chen demonstrates how modern architecture in China can reinterpret tradition through spatial experience rather than decorative mimicry.

Project Facts

Location: Rizhao, China Architect: Aurelien Chen Year: 2023 Area: 1,700 m² Program: Tourism and Community Facility Lead Architect: Aurelien Chen

The Dragon Mountain Tourist Center is a refined example of landscape-integrated architecture, where topography, philosophy, and materiality converge. By fragmenting mass, embracing voids, and framing nature rather than dominating it, Aurelien Chen delivers a tourism complex that feels both monumental and intimate.

Rooted in the Earth yet reaching toward the Sky, the project stands as a contemporary architectural landmark in Rizhao: bridging tradition, modernity, and nature through thoughtful spatial design.

All photographs are works of  Aurelien Chen, Rizhao Fada Jituan