As most people get older and have to navigate the responsibilities of adulthood, it can sometimes be difficult to keep hold of that youthful energy of childhood or younger years.
One office building in southwestern China wants to help its tenants keep or nourish their youthful energy by installing a series of “signing off” slides that employees can ride down when they get off work.
The renovated 40-year-old building located in downtown Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province, features 11 slides that connect separate floors, according to Beijing Youth Daily.
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Qian Yi, who is in charge of the project, was quoted as saying that the idea of the design was to make people “always stay young at heart” and “add more fun” to the workspaces.
The design has also transformed the building into a photogenic spot for social media.
However, it is too early to say if the experiment can be called successful. The slides are still under a trial period and are not ready for use, said Qian.
Despite the slow roll-out, the office building has already become a popular photo spot in the city as many people have come to visit just to take pictures of the slides.
“This would certainly be a great way to deal with stress after a long day’s work,” said one user on Xiaohongshu, China’s version of Instagram.
“My childhood dream is finally realised - to take a slide when I get off duty. I just wonder if people would have to wait in a queue,” another commented in a post with several photos attached.
The building is also famous for integrating plant life into the architecture, so the aesthetic is similar to a suspended garden.
However, the slides are what truly stand out. They criss-cross throughout the building so the employees can “commute” down from their given floors without moving too fast.
Many of the slides also feature exits that are shaped like phonographs, echoing the compound’s official name - “Phonograph in Garden 1982”.
The building was originally constructed in 1982 and has served as office space for an architecture company, said Qian.
Qian said they are planning to install cushions near and around the slides to add a level of safety.
The organisers have also put up warning signs at the entrance of the slides such as “no climbing” and “slide in a sitting position”, according to the report.
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