MAD Architects has unveiled its innovative “Cloud 9 Sports Center” for Shijiazhuang, China. The project will cover about 6,000 square meters and will host a sports center with a gym, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and commercial spaces. Wrapped in an ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) skin with a metallic coating, the structure will appear as a translucent cloud reflecting the surrounding park, minimizing the building’s visual impact. The first-floor roof will extend towards the park, partially covered with plants, thus helping to blur the boundaries between the building and the park itself.

The facades will be permeable, to connect sports to the community and vice versa, as well as the interior and exterior environments. In line with this vision, an indoor tennis court will be connected to an underground retail street and the subway. A circular running track will connect the building to the park, along with outdoor courts, terraced squares, and observation decks that will offer high-quality spaces for relaxation and leisure. The project broke ground in March and is expected to be completed in 2025.