Chang’an Academy, situated on the west bank of the Ba River in Xi’an’s Chanba Ecological Area, is a new public cultural complex that integrates spaces for reading, art exhibitions, educational programs, cultural activities, and public interaction. The architectural design was led by the Urban & Architectural Design Research Center of China Northwest Architecture Design and Research Institute, with Hong Designworks responsible for the interior design. Facing the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center across the river, the project serves as both a major civic cultural initiative and a new cultural landmark for the city.

Yet a landmark presence comes with challenges: monumental scale and strong formal expression can easily create a sense of detachment, both physically and psychologically. From spatial organization to the orchestration of materiality, light, and user engagement, HONG Designworks sought to address a central question: how can a large public space be attuned to human scale and foster meaningful connections with everyday life?

The roof gently dips at the center and gradually extends outward at both ends, creating an open urban frontage that softens the architecture’s monumentality. The upturned eaves introduce a subtle sense of lightness, evoking an almost floating presence.

Along the waterfront, the architecture seems to hover between stillness and openness. From afar, its silhouette unfolds like an open book, reflecting the project’s cultural identity.

Yet beyond the external form, what matters more is how this architectural language extends into the interior. In many large-scale public buildings, atria are often conceived as monumental voids—spaces intended primarily for circulation rather than lingering. The project breaks away from this “large but empty” spatial logic, transforming the atrium into an engaging environment that encourages gathering, pause, and interaction.

HONG Designworks preserves the openness of the atrium while strategically introducing new public functions, including reading platforms, service nodes and spaces for lingering. These interventions transform a uniform vertical void into a layered spatial experience articulated with clearer hierarchy and rhythm.

A key intervention was the reorganization of the stair system. The original staircase was oriented outward, disconnecting it from the reception and reading areas. The new stair system redirects circulation, guiding visitors through the reception and public spaces before ascending. This adjustment not only optimizes circulation but also strengthens visual guidance, introducing a sense of human scale and spatial hierarchy to the grand atrium.

This “de-monumentalization” approach does not diminish the architecture’s civic character. Instead, it recalibrates the balance between monumental scale and everyday experience. Wood-grain metal panels are widely used in place of natural timber, meeting fire safety and construction requirements while preserving a sense of tactile warmth. A warm neutral palette is introduced into the lofty atrium, softening the coolness often associated with large public interiors and creating a welcoming atmosphere that invites pause and lingering.

Curved seating, winding staircases, and daylight infiltration further soften the spatial rhythm. Visitors perceive not only the architectural scale, but also a more relaxed, everyday public experience unfolding within the atrium.

A public space gains its true meaning only when it begins to embrace everyday life.

Rather than simply juxtaposing the library, art museum, and cultural exchange spaces, the project is conceived as an open, unified public environment—where reading, exhibitions, social interaction, and everyday activities interweave.

The sunken stepped amphitheater becomes a key node within the space. It extends the reading and lingering experiences while accommodating lectures, launch events, and community activities—transforming the space from a static cultural display to an active platform for public engagement. Colorful stepped seating adds a lively visual rhythm, bringing a subtle sense of warmth to the otherwise restrained material palette.

This hybrid approach moves beyond the conventional single-function logic of cultural buildings. Visitors come here not merely for reading or exhibitions; lingering, social interaction, brief moments of rest, or simply passing through, all become part of the spatial experience.

Across the building, diverse public programs—including reading, educational activities, cultural events, aesthetic experiences, and interactive encounters—are woven together through atria, sunken spaces, and open platforms. Boundaries between different functional spaces gradually dissolve, unfolding a more fluid and open cultural environment.

Design: HONG Designworks
Photography: Studio Ten (Tan Xiao)