This project is Building No. 3, part of the Yangjia River Rainbow Lake Small Architecture Series, located at the intersection of Kechuang Road and Kewen Road in the central area of Jinan High-tech East District.

1. Concept Statement

The spatial organization of the building is guided by the idea of “coexistence of public life and commercial activity,” exploring how architectural form can promote mutual enrichment between public life and commerce. By adopting the design approach of “making the public a thread of continuity,” the two elements are organically integrated.

2. Design Concept and Operations of Building No.3

Building No. 3 is situated on a long, sloping site. Taking advantage of the site’s elevation changes, the floors are designed to follow the natural slope, creating two distinct planes. The height differences between the horizontal and sloping floors form spaces that can be traversed, sat upon, or descended. The gaps gradually widen, allowing plants to grow and offering views toward the opposite street, eventually expanding into spaces large enough to accommodate human activity.

The horizontal floors are connected by continuous eave-adjacent gray spaces, linking the building with the landscape and creating a rich, linear spatial experience. Two courtyards are incorporated: one combines steps leading to the riverside with the interior courtyard, allowing indoor activities to extend outward; the other connects with a small structure at the building’s end. The varied interweaving of gray spaces and building volumes creates a range of spatial types—indoor, semi-indoor, outdoor, and operable facades—responding to commercial use, climate, and public accessibility.

Through linear circulation that follows the terrain, the interaction between commercial areas and public spaces blurs traditional boundaries. The building not only fulfills commercial requirements but also becomes part of citizens’ daily life, fostering diverse public activities and sustained coexistence with commercial operations. Functional areas permeate each other, enabling commerce to serve not just individual consumption but public life as well. The spatial design emphasizes functionality while providing sufficient flexibility to accommodate various future scenarios, ensuring continuous interaction between the building and the park.