GBD Design and Guangzhou GBD Design Transform Fifth Cotton Mill into a Cultural Space
By naming the project after the famous Nanjing Brocade, the Brilliant Prospect paid homage to the heritage of Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China, where the Fifth Cotton Mill, producing the best fabrics in the country, was located. China Overseas Land and Investment redeveloped the mill recently into a multi-purpose and cultural space under the name Brilliant Prospect, with GBD design and Guangzhou GBD Design as the design team.
GBD lead designer Du Wenbiao, also known as Bill Do, highlighted the cultural features of the cotton industry in China in the project, using space as the carrier that connects the past and the future. The dynamic momentum used in the design outlines the beauty of life in bloom with its unique elements from the past and the formidable sights of the future.
The design team created sinuous curves that weave segments of time into particular groups, orchestrating multiple ideas into one. The staircase, which became the symbolic entrance to a time tunnel, distributes imaginative elements above and below ground. At the centre of two sculptural curved stairs is the Time Shuttle installation.
The main functional zone of the property is located in a sunken courtyard where mirrored areas provide depth, separating everything inside the property from the complexities of the outside world. The salon area, opposite to the book bar, interprets the convergence of time with geometric shapes.
The whole space has a church-like sacredness and tranquillity and cultivates a life of elegance with poetry, wine, flowers, and tea. It is gathering the essence of life through elements such as rhythm, softness, and comfortable surroundings to enjoy the company of old and new friends. The transformation of the place became a “dance frozen in time.”
According to the designer, “Brilliant Prospect is an artistic choreography between real and imaginary times, providing guests with endless possibilities from the future, in a banquet, meeting, or party in modern times.”
In summary, Brilliant Prospect is a cultural transformation of China’s Fifth Cotton Mill that highlights the cultural features of China’s cotton industry. The space features sinuous curves, imaginative elements, and a church-like sacredness that creates a life of elegance and tranquillity.