Rubix Square | 佰筑建筑设计咨询（上海）有限公司

Rubix Square is a hyper-stimulating public space located in Fuzhou, China, nestled within a residential area and surrounded by residential buildings. The project is composed of five distinct installations, each inspired by a sport or specific activity, designed to engage visitors in a unique and playful environment.

At the heart of the project is the central installation, Rubix Square—a massive, habitable sculpture and playground designed as a three-story building. This centerpiece draws inspiration from the iconic Rubik’s Cube, a game that has captivated people worldwide. However, in this iteration, the Rubix Cube is reimagined as a space you can explore from within. Visitors can dive inside this colossal structure, where they are encouraged to interact with its vibrant and dynamic interior.

Surrounding the Rubix Cube are four additional installations, each offering a unique and interactive experience:

The Hashtag: The first installation is a large hashtag structure that lies on the ground, designed as a labyrinth. This maze allows users to pass through its openings, exploring various spaces filled with interactive features such as lighting games, slides, swings, and other playful elements. The design encourages exploration and discovery, making it a fun and engaging experience for all ages.

Basket Triangle: The second installation is inspired by basketball. This structure features baskets positioned in unconventional ways—upside down, at various angles, and at different heights. This interactive installation is not just for playing basketball; it also allows children to practice their skills by aiming and shooting the ball into the numerous baskets, challenging their coordination and creativity.

Wall Ball: The next installation is themed around football, consisting of a wall with multiple holes of varying sizes and difficulties. Children can practice their aim by kicking the ball into these targets, honing their precision and accuracy in a fun and competitive environment.

Heli-Skate: The last corner of the square is occupied by a skatepark with ramps and slopes, designed for beginners to practice and improve their balance and equilibrium on a skateboard. This area offers a safe space for young skaters to develop their skills while enjoying the thrill of the sport.

The surrounding pavements are designed with a combination of stone and painted surfaces for the circulation areas, and EPDM for the playing areas that will receive the impact of kids playing and jumping on top. All of this is set within a grid of lines and colors that align with the main narrative, creating an exciting and lively landscape. Square planters with trees and wooden seating are strategically placed throughout the area, adding greenery and providing spaces for relaxation.

But it’s at night that Rubix Square reveals its most unexpected transformation.
As daylight fades, the entire playscape shifts into a surreal, glowing environment. Embedded lighting outlines the geometry of each installation, transforming the square into a luminous dreamworld that feels lifted from a digital fantasy.

The Rubix Cube glows like a giant urban lantern, with its colorful façades radiating from within. Its graphic symbols—circles, triangles, crosses—light up like icons from a retro game. The Hashtag turns into a glowing maze, guiding visitors through illuminated corridors with an almost cinematic atmosphere.

Basket Triangle and Wall Ball come alive with soft, targeted lighting, accentuating their sculptural forms and interactive surfaces. Meanwhile, Heli-Skate shimmers in cool tones, as if tracing the motion of skaters with lines of light.

The lighting is more than visual—it’s emotional. It adds depth, wonder, and magic to the space, turning everyday play into something extraordinary.
At night, Rubix Square becomes more than a public playground. It’s a glowing spectacle, a beacon in the residential fabric of Fuzhou, and a bold reminder that public space can be both functional and fantastical.