A coastal ‘cube of change’ between park and shoreline
Cube of Change: Meitu Cube Visual Arts Center by OPEN Architecture sits along the coastline of Xiamen, China, between the city and the area’s lush beaches. The building reads as a compact volume from a distance, a pale cube set slightly above the ground, with the sea extending beyond. Its geometry is direct, though the experience shifts as one moves closer.
The exterior surface carries a soft, diffused quality through a perforated PTFE skin. During the day, the facade filters light into a muted glow while maintaining visual connection to the surroundings. Toward evening, the building begins to emit light, turning into a luminous surface that registers activity inside and extends it outward toward the coastal promenade.
visualizations © OPEN Architecture
Flexible galleries and ocean-facing exhibition spaces
Within the Cube of Change, the team at OPEN Architecture organizes space as a sequence of interconnected volumes rather than fixed rooms. A tall black-box gallery sits alongside a white-box space oriented toward the ocean, while additional areas accommodate exhibitions, screenings, and gatherings. Each zone supports change in scale and atmosphere, allowing the building to adjust to different forms of cultural use.
Circulation threads through these spaces in a continuous loop. Paths intersect with galleries and terraces, creating multiple ways to move through the building. Movement becomes part of the spatial experience, with visitors shifting between enclosed and open areas, light and shadow, interior and exterior.
the building sits along the coastline of Xiamen between parkland and the sea
a red spiral staircase links all levels
The ground floor of OPEN’s Cube of Change remains open, lifted on slender supports to maintain permeability across the site. Landscape elements draw from the nearby archipelago, forming a terrain of paths and planted areas that guide visitors toward the building. Beneath the volume, a shaded zone connects to a sunken plaza where a café and seating areas introduce a slower pace.
A red spiral staircase rises through the structure, visible from different points as a continuous vertical thread. Its curved geometry contrasts with the outer cube, drawing people upward toward terraces and the rooftop. From above, views extend across the coastline, while the sequence of ascent ties together the building’s interior layers.
a perforated PTFE facade filters daylight and softens the building’s presence
open architecture tops the cube with a rooftop theater
At the top, the project opens toward the horizon. A rooftop terrace accommodates events and informal gatherings, framed by a circular canopy that defines the space without enclosing it. Seating steps face the sea, allowing performances to take place against the shifting light of the water.
The Cube of Change maintains a direct relationship with its surroundings. From the park to the shoreline, the building remains accessible, with routes that bring visitors back to ground level after moving through the upper spaces. This circulation reinforces a sense of continuity between the interior program and the public landscape.
the ground level remains open and links to a sunken plaza with café seating
a double-layer PTFE facade
The double-layer facade works as both environmental filter and visual device. The outer PTFE skin reduces solar gain while softening incoming light, while operable openings allow for natural ventilation aligned with prevailing winds. Behind it, the inner layer provides enclosure and thermal control.
Additional systems support long-term performance. Rain gardens and permeable surfaces manage water across the site, while rooftop solar panels contribute to energy use. Planting is integrated at multiple levels, extending the landscape vertically and reinforcing the building’s connection to its coastal setting.
the rooftop terrace and theater frame views across the coastline
at night the facade glows and extends activity toward the public realm
a red spiral staircase rises through the building, connecting all levels
project info:
name: Cube of Change: Meitu Cube Visual Arts Center
architect: OPEN Architecture | @open.architecture
location: Xiamen, China
client: Xiamen Meitu Cube Cultural Development Co., Ltd.
building area: 12,200 square meters
status: under construction, broken ground
completion: expected 2028
construction documents, structural, MEP, sustainability Consultant: China Academy of Building Research
curtain wall consultant: RFR
scenographer: dUCKS scéno
acoustic, theater consultant: ECADI
landscape design: OPEN Architecture + Landtek Group
lighting consultant: Gradient Lighting Design
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