We love buildings that aren’t afraid of a little color, or a little irreverence.
Take this new cultural art village in Shenzhen, called Bihailou Art Village that feels like it was designed to make you smile.
Instead of wrapping cultural spaces into one giant, intimidating block, MVRDV stacked a series of distinct, brightly colored volumes on top of each other.
Think of it as an architectural remix, drawing hues, shapes, and materials directly from the surrounding neighborhood and stacking them into a 6,500-square-meter “vertical village.”
Why We Love It:
- Choose Your Own Adventure: An exterior maze of staircases, ramps, and escalators connects each space, allowing visitors to wander freely through open-air plazas, cozy shops, a double-height theater, and green roof terraces.
- Smart & Generous: The offset stacked blocks naturally create shaded overhangs at ground level, offering shelter from sun and rain.
- Flexible Living: Because each “house” is independent, every museum, café, and venue can set its own vibe and opening hours.
As MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas puts it: “The joy of this design lies in its contradictions… It looks complex, but the idea of one space for every function is really quite simple.”
Architects should take note: People like color, whimsy, and creativity. Don’t hold back.
Renders courtesy of MVRDV.
Edited by Ben VanderVeen · About Moss & Fog
2 Comments
What a fantastic approach to architecture! The bold colors and playful stacked spaces make this art village feel both creative and welcoming.
Style is like the Dutch, Scandinavian. To get away from the tyranny of architectural symmetry