Neighborhood Center Of Nanxing Future Community / TOMO Design

Architects: TOMO Design, TO ACC
Area: 3,000 sqm
Year: 2023
Photography: Free Will Photography
Lead Architects: Uno Chan, Xiao Fei
Architects Team: Ethan, Ribs, Jason, Leo
Design Team: Tin, Hoching, Maple Zhang, Chen
Brand Promotion: Xiao Fei, Angel Yiu, Feiyu, Sunshine PR
Client: Nanyuan Sub-district Office, The People’s Government of Linping District
Materials: Sunlight, aluminized coat, terrazzo, wood finish, stucco textured paint, beam, woven carpet, wood floor
City/Location: No.138 Nanxing Road, Nanyuan Sub-district, Linping District, Hangzhou
Country: China

The Neighborhood Center of Nanxing Future Community, designed by TOMO Design in collaboration with TO ACC, is a new cultural and social hub situated in the Nanyuan Sub-district of Hangzhou. Conceived as part of the city’s broader “future community” initiative, the project seeks to redefine how residents engage with shared urban spaces by providing inclusive environments for learning, recreation, and cultural exchange. Spanning 3,000 square meters, the center integrates architecture, landscape, and interiors into a cohesive environment that draws inspiration from the traditional Lilong culture of communal living. Twelve distinct functional zones—including a reading gallery, theater, teahouse, youth parlor, and rooftop camp—accommodate a wide spectrum of activities for all age groups. The design emphasizes openness, diversity, and flexibility, while its renovated façade introduces a light and futuristic aesthetic that balances the rhythms of urban life with moments of leisure and retreat. Acting as a “third space” between home and work, the project aspires to foster neighborly bonds and a collective sense of belonging within the Nanxing Future Community.

Straw-textured plaster and natural wood express primal authenticity; raw concrete and patinated bronze frame modernity — soft-lit membranes with greenery instill poetic warmth for the space.
Interview with Uno Chan of TOMO DESIGN

Neighborhood center of nanxing future community / tomo design — Neighborhood Center of Nanxing Future Community / TOMO Design 72

TOMO Design’s vision for the Neighborhood Center of Nanxing Future Community reflects a deliberate balance between cultural continuity and forward-looking urban identity. Situated in Hangzhou’s Linping District, the center serves as the symbolic and practical heart of a development that brings together four neighborhoods under one community framework. Rather than a singularly monumental gesture, the design articulates a network of experiences, each one inviting residents to reconnect with the city while cultivating an intimate sense of neighborhood familiarity.

The project’s conceptual foundation lies in the reinterpretation of Lilong culture, the traditional Chinese urban form that emphasized close-knit social bonds and shared courtyards. This reference is not merely nostalgic but reimagined as an open and inclusive lifestyle model. TOMO Design translates these principles into contemporary spaces where interaction and reflection are equally possible, from the dynamic “Center Light Island” at the entrance to the intimate zones of the teahouse and youth parlor. The result is a composite “living room” for the community, one that encourages creativity, learning, and cultural exchange.

Architecturally, the center’s façade transforms the existing building through lightness and transparency. Hollow frames and floating entrances offer a futuristic reinterpretation of traditional rhythms, creating a dialogue between permanence and imagination. Inside, the program is articulated into twelve zones, each designed to meet specific communal needs. The Reading Gallery offers stepped seating integrated with bookshelves, encouraging informal gathering. The Nanxing Theater adopts circular amphitheater forms that accommodate performance and dialogue. The Kids Playground and Learning Cube cater to younger generations, while the Roof Camp activates the skyline as a social and recreational terrace.

Material choices reinforce the project’s layered identity. Terrazzo, wood finishes, and textured paint cultivate warmth and tactility, while strategically placed light installations animate spaces with a sense of ceremony and adaptability. The use of modular furniture across many zones ensures flexibility, allowing the community to adapt the environment as its needs evolve.

Beyond its architectural qualities, the Neighborhood Center aspires to reshape patterns of daily life. By intertwining education, leisure, and cultural expression, it transcends the conventional notion of a public facility to become a stage for collective imagination. It positions itself as a cornerstone of the “future community” model, where neighborhood warmth coexists with urban modernity, and where a sense of belonging is reinforced through shared experiences.