Social Micro-complex: Popped Orange Uhub House by Wutopia Lab.

Wutopia Lab has completed a new vertical social micro-complex located in the T.I.T Creative Park in Guangzhou, China. With an orange facade and a light tower at its centre, the 177-square-metre building houses a cafe, bar, theatre and exhibition area all in one space. Commissioned by digital fashion brand ifanr, the project is a continuation of the design studios urban microspace revitalisation program.

Newly opened, the complex is spread across three generous floors that spill out onto a borderless white oval and garden. An outside steel ladder connects all three levels and doubles as the light tower. The 11.27m high structure is translucent and white, constructed from steel and sun panels.

On the ground floor sits a coffee shop and wine bar with circulation filtering around a center island and circular bar that can be opened up with folding doors into the garden. Above the white garden sits an orange floating cube, forming the main part of the building.

Public Spaces That Pop.

Public spaces define the culture of a city and shape the way we all live. Well designed, they have the power to create a sense of community, belonging and identity. And the best part? Everyone can join in. They can also be almost anything, which is part of the fun.

Glowing orange circles dominate the interior, an apt accessory to the ground floors ‘Sunset Club’. These different glowing orange orbs embedded in the walls provide most of the artificial light within the interior, mimicking the light of the setting sun. The orange circles and semicircles are reflected and illuminated to achieve the feeling of relaxation experienced at sunset.

On the second floor is more of an exhibition space with an open plan interior and no fixed partitions setup to allow for a flexible interior. Long strip windows, square skylights, and glass doors blend natural light with the atmosphere. Upstairs an orange and white striped rooftop is accessible via two entrances, offering a birds-eye view of the city skyline.

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[Images courtesy of Wutopia Lab. Photography by Wu Siming.]