Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2026
Time Catalyst Cultural Center
by Zehua Zhang
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Zehua Zhang
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,021
- Verification code 2DF83EA106 · Verify this award
About Time Catalyst Cultural Center
Time Catalyst is a proposal that adapts a former winery in Valencia for public cultural use. The design retains the existing structure and brick wall while introducing additional openings to improve light, access, and connections between interior and exterior. By removing portions of the roof, the designer creates an internal courtyard that brings daylight and landscape into the building. The interior accommodates studios, exhibitions, and community activities, balancing preservation with selective interventions to allow the building to remain in use.
ZEHUA ZHANG's Cultural Center engages architectural traditions spanning Gaudí's biomorphic expressionism through contemporary parametric design methodologies, situating brick construction within digitally enabled formal possibilities that would have remained unachievable through historical construction techniques, the project demonstrates sophisticated command of computational design tools applied toward culturally grounded material expression, utilizing traditional terracotta masonry as primary building fabric while achieving unprecedented geometric complexity through modular repetition of organically curved volumes, the compositional achievement manifests through rhythmic procession of cellular tower forms generating dynamic visual movement while maintaining structural legibility and tectonic coherence, particularly successful passages include the graduated diminution of modules creating spatial recession and the integration of metallic portal elements providing essential material contrast and functional articulation at human scale, the chromatic restraint demonstrates mature design sensibility with warm earth-toned brick masses counterpointed by oxidized metal accents and lush complementary vegetation establishing sophisticated triadic color relationships, technical facility appears throughout the likely digital visualization which achieves photorealistic material rendering including subtle brick coursing detail, graduated atmospheric perspective, and convincing integration of architectural volumes within landscaped setting, the designer seems to investigate how traditional masonry construction methods might be reinterpreted through contemporary computational form-finding strategies generating complex curvature previously associated primarily with cast concrete or contemporary composite materials, thematically the work explores threshold and passage with the undulating towers creating rhythmic ceremonial approach toward sheltered portals suggesting transition from exterior public landscape into protected interior cultural space, the organic vocabulary evokes natural forms including cellular growth patterns, erosion-carved geological formations, or biological clustering systems translated into built architectural language, the massing strategy balances monumental presence through vertical emphasis and repetitive rhythm with approachable warmth through curved rather than angular geometry and earth-toned material selection, one observes potential dialogue with vernacular brick traditions particularly Mediterranean and Middle Eastern architectural heritage where thick masonry walls provide thermal mass and environmental modulation in hot climates, the parametric design methodology allows systematic variation within consistent formal logic generating visual interest through controlled diversity rather than arbitrary differentiation, the landscape integration demonstrates thoughtful attention to architectural setting with palm specimens and sculpted topiary elements providing scale reference and chromatic contrast while reinforcing subtropical or warm-climate context, the portal design merits particular attention with the metallic arched elements creating elegant transition between exterior and interior while their verdigris patina suggests material aging and temporal depth, iconographic references might include organic precedents from Gaudí's Sagrada Familia and Park Güell through Hundertwasser's biomorphic environmental architecture to contemporary parametric explorations by practices investigating emergent form and material performance, the work invites consideration of how digital design tools enable renewed engagement with traditional materials and construction methods, extending rather than abandoning architectural heritage through computational augmentation of craft-based building cultures, viewers might contemplate the relationship between technological innovation and material continuity, questioning whether parametric complexity represents genuine advancement in architectural expression or primarily demonstrates technical virtuosity, yet the warm materiality and organic forms suggest humanistic rather than purely technical concerns, one might also reflect upon the cultural program implications embedded in the architectural language, considering how the monumental yet welcoming design vocabulary establishes appropriate presence for civic cultural facilities serving community gathering and artistic celebration, the rhythmic modular composition suggests both individual distinctness and collective unity potentially metaphorizing cultural diversity within institutional frameworks, the sheltering curved forms and processional approach evoke protective embrace and ritualized entry befitting spaces dedicated to cultural heritage preservation and artistic experience, ultimately the design poses questions about contemporary architectural identity in an era of global technological dissemination asking how regionally grounded material traditions and computational design capabilities might synthesize into culturally specific yet technically sophisticated architectural expression.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Time Catalyst transforms a historic Valencia winery into a vibrant cultural center where memory and vitality coexist. Honoring its structural framework, the exterior preserves the original brick texture, while rhythmic openings at the base blur inside and outside. Interior volumes with curved facades echo the exterior, fostering fluidity and continuity, and the site embodies both the heritage and the spirit of the Fallas festival in Valencia, bridging past and future.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Two-story building with overall dimensions of 75 meters in width, 75 meters in depth, and 23 meters in height.
- Tags
- Historic preservation, adaptive reuse, brick facade, structural framework, spatial fluidity, interior-exterior continuity, cultural center, curved volumes, communal space
- Production Technology
- This design balances cultural heritage with contemporary interventions. The original brick facade was restored to preserve its texture, while curved glass panels echo its language. Inside, UHPC ultra thin concrete slabs and steel I beams combine lightness with structural stability. Computer-aided simulations and 3D modeling optimized spatial relationships, integrating old and new elements to create a dynamic, vibrant experience.
- Design Challenge
- The original materials and structure of the historic building were preserved, while selective demolition was carried out. Structural analysis was performed, and the feasibility and adaptability of introducing new building structures and materials were comprehensively evaluated.
- Project Duration
- The project started in June 2025 and was completed in October 2025
- Operation Flow
- This is a renovation and adaptive reuse project for an old winery, preserving its historical character while introducing new vitality, transforming it into a cultural center that provides a space for local residents and artists to connect and express their creativity. The main spaces include creative studios, artist workshops, a performance hall, classrooms, exhibition areas, and a public courtyard.
- Research
- Type of Research: Design-based architectural research on adaptive reuse. Research Objectives: To convert a historic winery into a cultural center while preserving heritage and enhancing social use. Methodology: Analysis of history, structure, and environment, tested through simulations and models. Data Collection and Research Tools Used: Archives, drawings, site photos, 3D modeling, daylight and airflow simulations, and material studies. Results: Informed spatial layouts, openings, and materials. Insights and Impacts: Demonstrated how historic buildings can support contemporary cultural life. Effect in Real Life: Promotes heritage preservation, community interaction, and sustainable design.
- Inspiration
- Time Catalyst is inspired by the dialogue between history and contemporary life. The old winery’s brick walls carry memory, and I aimed to preserve this while introducing new vitality. Valencia’s Fallas festival, with its communal energy and fluidity, inspired the building’s openness and curved interior volumes, blurring inside and outside. The design celebrates cultural heritage while activating the space for modern social and creative life.
Colors of Time Catalyst Cultural Center
Design Interview about Time Catalyst Cultural Center
The main principle of the design is the transformation of heritage into a living cultural catalyst, where memory and contemporary life coexist within a single evolving framework. Inspired by the historic winery and the spirit of Valencia’s Fallas festival, the project reinterprets the site as a bridge between past and future, preserving its structural and material identity while introducing new spatial vitality. Through permeability, adaptive reuse, and a central open courtyard that reconnects the building with nature and sky, the design seeks to activate history rather than freeze it, allowing culture, creativity, and community life to continuously regenerate within the existing architectural fabric.
The main focus of the design is to preserve the historical integrity of the old winery while reactivating it as a dynamic cultural and creative hub for the community. The goal is to achieve a delicate balance between conservation and transformation—retaining the original brick structure and spatial memory while introducing new flexible programs and spatial interventions that bring continuous activity into the building. Ultimately, the design aims to create a living heritage where architecture is not only experienced as a historical artifact, but as an adaptable environment that supports artistic production, cultural exchange, and everyday social engagement.
The project currently remains a conceptual exploration and an innovative design study focused on the adaptive reuse of historic architecture, and there are no concrete next-step development plans at this stage. Time Catalyst is intended as an architectural research and design experiment that investigates how heritage buildings—such as the old winery in Valencia—can be reinterpreted for contemporary cultural and community use. While it has received recognition as a design proposal, its primary value at present lies in its conceptual contribution to discussions on historic preservation, sustainability, and human-centered urban regeneration, rather than in an immediate path toward realization.
The development of this concept took approximately several months of iterative exploration, moving from initial site analysis and historical research of the old winery to the gradual formation of its adaptive reuse strategy. Early stages focused on understanding the structural and cultural memory of the building, while later phases refined the spatial interventions, particularly the central courtyard “catalyst” space and the flexible interior systems. The design evolved continuously through testing the relationship between preservation and transformation, ultimately arriving at a cohesive vision where heritage, community, and contemporary cultural functions are seamlessly integrated within Time Catalyst.
This concept was developed as an independent exploration driven by a strong interest in adaptive reuse of historic architecture rather than a direct commission. The motivation came from the desire to give new life to existing structures—especially industrial heritage like the old winery—by transforming them into meaningful, people-centered cultural spaces instead of replacing them. The design is rooted in a sustainable approach that values conservation, reduction of demolition waste, and the reuse of embodied energy within the original building fabric. At the same time, it prioritizes a human-centered vision, where architecture becomes a flexible framework for community interaction, creativity, and everyday cultural life. Time Catalyst therefore emerges as a response to both environmental responsibility and social sustainability, turning history into an active resource for contemporary living.
Time Catalyst is currently an independent conceptual study focused on the adaptive reuse of historic architecture, and it is not being produced or used by any company. There are also no plans at this stage to sell, lease, or transfer production rights, nor is there a defined intention to directly realize the project by the author. Instead, it remains a design exploration aimed at investigating innovative approaches to preserving and revitalizing heritage buildings, particularly in the context of sustainable and human-centered cultural regeneration.
This work was driven by a desire to explore how historic industrial architecture can be reactivated as a meaningful part of contemporary urban and cultural life rather than being preserved as a static relic. The old winery provided a strong spatial and material foundation, but also raised questions about abandonment, continuity, and transformation. This led to a design approach that focuses on adaptive reuse, where the existing structure becomes a framework for new social and cultural programs. At the same time, the concept was shaped by an interest in creating human-centered, sustainable environments that support community interaction, creativity, and cultural expression, turning architecture into a living system that connects memory with present-day life.
The design is the result of a fully independent personal exploration, without direct reference or reliance on specific existing designers or precedent projects. It was developed through a site-driven and concept-driven process focused on the unique conditions of the historic winery in Valencia, its material memory, and its potential for adaptive reuse. The approach is rooted in personal investigation of how architecture can transform heritage spaces into human-centered, sustainable cultural environments, allowing the concept of Time Catalyst to emerge organically from the relationship between history, place, and contemporary community needs.
The primary target users of this design are local residents of Valencia, as the project is conceived as a community-oriented cultural hub rooted in everyday urban life. It is designed to serve artisans, artists, students, and neighborhood communities by providing accessible spaces for creation, learning, and social interaction. At the same time, it also welcomes visitors and cultural audiences, but its core identity remains focused on supporting local people, strengthening community participation, and reinforcing the cultural continuity of the site through inclusive, human-centered public use.
What sets Time Catalyst apart is its deep integration of heritage preservation with active cultural regeneration, rather than treating the historic winery as a preserved object or a purely renovated shell. The design maintains the original structural and material identity while introducing precise spatial interventions—such as the permeable façade rhythm and the open central courtyard—that transform the building into a living system of interaction between past and present. Unlike many adaptive reuse projects that prioritize either conservation or modernization, this concept deliberately fuses both through a human-centered and flexible spatial strategy, where movable and modular environments allow continuous transformation. It is not just a cultural building inserted into history, but a continuous catalyst that activates memory, community, and creativity within the existing architectural fabric.
The name Time Catalyst comes from the core idea of the project: architecture as an active agent that transforms and accelerates the relationship between history and contemporary life. Time refers to the layered memory of the historic winery and the cultural continuity of Valencia, while Catalyst expresses the building’s role in triggering new social, cultural, and creative interactions without erasing its past. Together, the name reflects a design intention where the existing structure is not frozen in time, but continuously reactivated—allowing heritage, people, and future possibilities to interact, evolve, and generate new meaning within a single living environment.
The project was developed using a combination of digital design tools to support different stages of the process. Rhino and CAD were used for precise spatial modeling, structural analysis, and plan development, allowing accurate integration of the new interventions within the existing winery framework. Photoshop was used for diagramming, conceptual storytelling, and post-production visualization, helping communicate the atmosphere and narrative of the project. In addition, rendering tools were applied to explore materiality, lighting, and spatial experience, enabling a more immersive representation of how Time Catalyst functions as a dynamic cultural and community space.
The most unique aspect of Time Catalyst is its central activated void strategy, where part of the original roof is removed to create an open courtyard that reconnects the historic winery directly with sky, light, and nature. This intervention transforms a once closed and heavy industrial structure into a breathing cultural landscape at its core. Around this void, the building reorganizes itself as a flexible system of studios, galleries, and community spaces, allowing constant interaction between history and contemporary use. Rather than adding a single iconic gesture, the design’s uniqueness lies in this continuous spatial dialogue—where preservation, permeability, and transformation work together to make the building itself a catalyst for cultural and social energy.
The project was developed entirely as an individual design exploration, without collaboration with external team members or specialists. All aspects of the process—including research, concept development, spatial design, modeling, and visualization—were completed independently. This solo approach allowed for a consistent and uninterrupted design vision, ensuring that the concept of Time Catalyst evolved cohesively from initial ideas to final representation, guided solely by personal investigation of adaptive reuse, cultural continuity, and human-centered spatial design.
Technology in Time Catalyst plays a supportive and enabling role, primarily serving as a design and representation tool rather than the driving concept of the project. Digital tools such as Rhino, CAD, Photoshop, and rendering software were essential in developing precise spatial configurations, testing the integration of new interventions within the historic structure, and communicating atmosphere and material qualities. Beyond the design process, technology also informs the idea of flexibility within the architecture—such as modular systems, movable partitions, and adaptable spatial layouts—allowing the building to shift between different cultural and community functions. However, the core of the project remains rooted in human experience, cultural memory, and sustainable adaptive reuse, with technology acting as a means to support, not dominate, the architectural narrative.
Yes, the design was informed by environmental and spatial analysis to support both comfort and the adaptive reuse strategy of the historic winery. Key research included daylight analysis, which guided the creation of the central courtyard void and the rhythmic façade openings to ensure deep light penetration into the interior spaces. In addition, wind environment simulations were considered to understand airflow patterns within the enclosed structure after partial roof removal, helping to enhance natural ventilation and improve the microclimate of the central garden. These analyses were integrated with site and cultural research to ensure that the intervention was not only conceptually meaningful, but also environmentally responsive and sustainable in its spatial performance.
One of the main challenges was balancing the preservation of the historic winery’s structural and material integrity with the introduction of new spatial functions and contemporary interventions. Ensuring that the new elements felt integrated rather than imposed required careful calibration between old and new, especially around the façade and central courtyard transformation. Another challenge was developing a flexible spatial system that could support diverse programs—such as exhibitions, workshops, and community events—without compromising the clarity of the original architectural framework. Additionally, translating abstract cultural ideas, such as the spirit of the Fallas festival and the concept of a catalyst, into tangible architectural strategies demanded continuous refinement through iterative design and environmental analysis, including daylight and wind simulations to ensure both experiential quality and sustainability.
The decision to submit Time Catalyst to an international design competition came from the desire to test the concept within a broader professional and cultural context beyond academic or personal exploration. As the project engages with universal themes such as adaptive reuse, cultural heritage, and community-centered sustainable design, an international platform provided an opportunity to evaluate its relevance across different cultural and architectural perspectives. It also offered a chance to share the idea of transforming historic industrial spaces into active social catalysts with a wider audience, and to receive feedback that could support its future development into a more refined and potentially realizable project.
During the development of Time Catalyst, I significantly strengthened my ability to integrate conceptual thinking with practical architectural strategies, especially in the context of adaptive reuse. I learned how to translate abstract ideas such as memory, cultural identity, and “time” into tangible spatial interventions that respond to both the existing structure and contemporary programmatic needs. The process also improved my skills in environmental analysis, particularly daylight and wind simulations, and how these factors can directly shape architectural form and atmosphere. In addition, I developed a more refined understanding of balancing preservation with transformation, and how to design flexible, human-centered spaces that can adapt over time while maintaining a strong and coherent architectural identity.
One important aspect worth highlighting is the broader discourse of historic building preservation and adaptive reuse that underpins Time Catalyst. The project is not only a design proposal for a specific site, but also a reflection on how cities can approach aging industrial heritage in a more sustainable and culturally sensitive way. Instead of treating historic structures as static monuments or replacing them with entirely new developments, the design advocates for a regenerative strategy where existing buildings are reactivated as living infrastructures for contemporary urban life. In this sense, Time Catalyst contributes to an ongoing architectural conversation about how preservation and innovation can coexist—where history is not erased or frozen, but continuously reinterpreted through new uses, community engagement, and evolving spatial experiences.
Grand Interview about Time Catalyst Cultural Center
The decision came during the initial study of the former winery, when I realized the brick masonry was more than a building envelope—it was the physical memory of the site. Replacing it would have erased much of the building’s identity and cultural value. Preserving it therefore became the starting point for the entire project. Every new intervention was designed to complement rather than compete with the historic fabric. The curved glass introduces transparency and community engagement, while the slender concrete elements provide contemporary functionality with minimal visual weight. This approach established the central idea of Time Catalyst: allowing history and contemporary cultural life to coexist within a single evolving architectural framework.
Time Catalyst proposes that a cultural institution does not need to be created through a completely new building. Instead, it can emerge from the existing social memory embedded within a historic structure. By preserving the former winery and adapting it for contemporary cultural use, the project treats heritage as an active resource rather than a static artifact. The building becomes a platform where history, creativity, and community life continuously interact. In this sense, the project reframes adaptive reuse not simply as preservation, but as cultural regeneration—transforming a place of memory into a living environment that supports new forms of participation, learning, and creative exchange.
Three-dimensional modeling played an important role in evaluating how new interventions could be integrated within the existing winery while preserving its historic character. It helped test the scale and position of facade openings, the relationship between the central courtyard and surrounding spaces, and the distribution of natural light throughout the building. These digital studies revealed how relatively small modifications could significantly improve spatial openness, visual connectivity, and environmental quality. Rather than relying solely on intuition, the modeling process allowed design decisions to be assessed within the context of the entire building, ensuring that new interventions enhanced both user experience and respect for the existing architectural fabric.
The recognition is meaningful because it highlights a growing understanding that preservation and innovation are not opposing goals. Time Catalyst was developed around the idea that existing buildings can remain culturally relevant when they are thoughtfully adapted to contemporary needs. The project uses natural light, spatial openness, and flexible programming to revitalize the historic winery while preserving its identity and memory. For me, the award reflects a broader architectural message: that preservation-led design is not simply about protecting the past, but about creating sustainable, community-oriented environments where heritage can continue to evolve and contribute to future cultural life.
The most challenging aspect was determining how much intervention was necessary to activate the building without compromising its historical identity. The goal was never to remove elements for visual impact alone, but to create meaningful spatial opportunities while preserving the character of the winery. The decision to open portions of the roof emerged from a desire to bring daylight, nature, and community life into the heart of the structure. This act of subtraction transformed a once enclosed industrial space into a living cultural landscape. Ultimately, the project’s character is defined not by what was added, but by how carefully and selectively the existing architecture was revealed and reactivated.
The influence of the Fallas festival emerged while studying how the event transforms public space and brings people together through creativity, participation, and temporary interventions. What resonated most was not the physical form of the festival itself, but its spirit of openness and collective engagement. This inspired an architectural language based on fluidity, movement, and interaction. The curved interior volumes were designed to create softer transitions between programs and encourage exploration, while the permeable façade and courtyard blur the boundary between inside and outside. In this way, the project translates the social energy of Fallas into a permanent spatial framework that supports community life throughout the year.
This line of inquiry naturally extends from Time Catalyst as a continued exploration of adaptive reuse as a cultural and environmental strategy. The methodology developed in this project—preserving structural memory, introducing lightweight contemporary insertions, and using spatial permeability to connect interior and exterior conditions—will remain central to my practice. I intend to further deepen the relationship between heritage and user experience, particularly through more precise environmental responsiveness and programmatic flexibility. At the same time, I also see a need to challenge the balance between preservation and transformation more radically in future work, questioning how far intervention can go before the original identity begins to shift. Time Catalyst becomes not a conclusion, but a starting point for continuously redefining how architecture can sustain cultural continuity while adapting to change.
I hope Time Catalyst contributes to a broader shift in how preservation is understood in contemporary architecture—not as a static act of protection, but as an active framework for cultural and spatial regeneration. Rather than treating heritage buildings as fixed objects, the project suggests they can operate as living systems that evolve with new programs, users, and social needs. What I aim to emphasize is that material continuity and contemporary intervention are not opposites, but mutually reinforcing forces when handled with sensitivity and restraint. In this sense, preservation in the twenty-first century can be understood as a design process that maintains memory while enabling transformation, allowing architecture to remain both historically grounded and socially alive.
The spatial strategy was guided by the intention to let the historic winery remain legible while allowing new programs to coexist without hierarchy or fragmentation. Instead of separating functions into rigid zones, I organized circulation around the central courtyard as the primary orienting device. This void acts as both visual and environmental core, allowing light, air, and movement to structure the experience. Programmatic elements such as studios, exhibition areas, and classrooms are arranged as loosely connected layers around this space, with transitions softened through permeability, visual continuity, and framed views rather than hard boundaries.From a visitor’s perspective, the journey begins with a sense of entering a solid, historically grounded structure, but gradually unfolds into a sequence of shifting atmospheres—compressed passages opening into double-height spaces, framed glimpses of activity through curved insertions, and ultimately the release into the open courtyard. The experience is intentionally non-linear, allowing discovery and pause, where the building feels less like a sequence of rooms and more like a continuous dialogue between past and present
The material dialogue in Time Catalyst was grounded in contrast without confrontation. The original brick facade was preserved as a continuous, tactile surface that carries the weight of time, texture, and craftsmanship. Against this, the new interior elements—curved glass and slender concrete planes—were deliberately kept light, smooth, and reversible in expression. The intention was not to imitate the historic fabric, but to allow it to remain the dominant voice, while the new materials act as a secondary layer that enhances perception of depth, light, and movement within the space.The threshold of intervention was defined less by a fixed rule and more by a continuous reading of balance. Each insertion was tested against a simple question: does it clarify or obscure the presence of the original structure? When an addition began to compete with or visually dominate the brickwork, it was reduced, refined, or removed. This iterative process ensured that transformation never became replacement. In this way, Time Catalyst maintains a clear hierarchy where the winery’s material memory remains intact, while contemporary elements quietly extend its spatial and experiential potential.