The Hushan Sports Park Swimming Center in Jiangshan was designed by LYCS Architecture, which led the project's integrated architectural and interior design. Located in the heart of Hushan Sports Park, the facility is the first professional-grade swimming venue in the city to meet Class B national competition standards. With a total floor area of 14,244 square meters, the center includes a standard competition pool and a training pool, serving as a multifunctional venue that accommodates both professional events and daily public use.
Jiangshan has a long and storied history. In 931 AD, Qian Liu, King of Wuyue, renamed Xuxi County to Jiangshan County, inspired by the prominent Jianglang Mountain to the south. The city is defined by its rich cultural heritage and its landscape, where rivers and mountains intertwine. The swimming center is situated at the foot of Hushan (Tiger Mountain), facing the Jiangshan Port. It forms part of a broader sports complex that includes a 4,000-seat gymnasium within Hushan Sports Park and a 3,000-seat stadium at the adjacent Binjiang Senior High School. Together, this "one stadium, two arenas" configuration creates a comprehensive sports hub that serves both competitive events and the daily needs of the community. The design concept draws from this geographical and cultural context, taking "river and mountain" as its central theme. The undulating architectural form responds to the surrounding mountain terrain, while fluid lines evoke the imagery of flowing water. The project aims to create a dynamic sports facility imbued with a sense of cultural resonance and topographic harmony.
The swimming center houses two standard pools: a 50-meter by 25-meter competition pool with eight lanes, and a 50-meter by 17-meter training pool with six lanes, both with a uniform depth of 2 meters. The dual-pool configuration is optimized to support both provincial-level competitions and daily training activities. The facility adopts a dual-ground-level circulation strategy to optimize both operation and user flow. During regular use, spectators and athletes enter through separate entrances designated for their respective zones. During competitions, a more complex system is activated: the second-level spectator stands, dedicated corridors, and functional rooms enable the segregation of athletes, media, organizers, VIPs, and the general audience—minimizing cross-traffic and improving operational efficiency.
The architecture employs an asymmetrical, 3D folded geometry with a parametric curved roof that integrates the two halls, creating a semi-open urban interstitial space. The central circulation hub at the junction features a ceremonial spiral entrance, transforming the facility from a dedicated sports venue into an inviting public realm for everyday civic life. The facade is draped in 2,943 unique "scaly" metal panels covering 17,000 square meters. These staggered folded plates respond dynamically to light and shadow, evoking the fluidity of water and the undulation of mountains. By mastering complex geometries through a "digital design to intelligent fabrication" workflow, the project exemplifies the seamless integration of advanced technology and architectural aesthetics.
The interior design continues the logic of the folded exterior envelope, applying a modular and "pixelated" language to the treatment of walls, ceilings, and signage systems. In the pool halls, the full-span roof structure is left entirely exposed, with trusses reaching up to 48 meters. This deliberate visibility highlights the structural logic and reinforces the spatial scale and sense of strength expected of a sports facility. Walls and functional zones are articulated through a combination of colored metal panels, fluorocarbon-coated surfaces, and perforated elements. The use of color blocking and strategic contrasts introduces visual energy, enhancing the user experience.
