Hezhitang Onsen

We have designed Onsen facility in Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang province, China. The project is close to Russian border near the great wetland called Zhalong where may tourists come to see migrated white cranes. The project is in the severe environment in a snowfield stretched as far as the eye could see. Often the temperature here drops minus 40 degree Celsius. It is not a convenient metropolitan city, nor in topography of hills and valleys. Visitors are fascinated with the extraordinary nature in the beginning of travel, but the unusual scenery can make them feel desolate. We wanted to design the building to embrace visitors with feeling of security and relaxation. The powerful straighten volume of façade in black shows the presence in the white field to warmly welcome visitors.

To create a sense of unity to the Zhalong wetland, we have created horizontal tube shape as main spaces with the windows facing to the outside. After the long travel, the visitors arrive to this facility under diffusions of consciousness because of infinity view of horizon. We are showing the scenery of wetland through the tube architecture instead of showing it off directly so that it provides human-scale impression and sense of harmony to the visitors. We truly hope that our design and architecture is honoured in the city and forever loved among people visit there.