This project explores a vertical adoption of the the concept of lingering from the Jiangnan gardens, proposing the design of a lingering architectural complex for a busy street corner located at a town center of Waterloo. Looking backwards at the Lingering Garden's hundreds-year development, it has been regarded as a heterotopia about a turn-back to the nature by its designers. Although the contemporary researches could hardly demonstrate the original designers' actual intentions, the diverse architectural forms in the Lingering Garden still depict the dynamics of dialogues and integration between buildings and nature. Memories and emotions are still retained and perceived.
When the garden serves as a park, it provides essay access for the public to the landscapes on the ground level. The busy public entrances are on the south side along Bourke street, while the quiet and unintentional entries are on the west side along quiet George street.
The upper levels accommodate semi-public functions such as lecture theatres and galleries. Rooms for plants, courtyards and open green terraces are arranged along with the vertical extension of the external stairs.
The sections depict floors with various heights, which creates possibilities for the activities on different level to encounter the green spaces. Intimate relationships between visitors and nature are realized through the green spaces permeation into the users daily activities.
The courtyards and rooms for plants grow with the external stairs vertical extensions. Human activities therefore would be connected by the vertical circulations as well as more intimate interactions with nature. The elements such as woods, stones, and stop-by birds become companions to people.
The physical models at 1:500 and 1:200