At the end of June, we received a project located in Lin'an Daming Mountain,Hangzhou, China, near a waterfall. We visited the site on an afternoon during a rainstorm, which coincided with the peak of the summer thunderstorm season. The site was in close proximity to the main landscape of the waterfall, allowing us to experience the splashing of water droplets firsthand. Although the site appeared particularly "unappealing" that day, resembling a different location compared to the photographs taken on a sunny day, it provided us with valuable insights regarding the potential water levels during a rainstorm and the direction of water flow.
Given the site's proximity to nature, we envisioned it as an open building, or even a "pavilion," that would seamlessly incorporate the splashing water, wind, and surrounding greenery without any obstruction. Guided by this fundamental concept, we drew inspiration from the structure of an umbrella. This design features a top cover for protection against heavy rain, with open "ribs" to support the entire "umbrella frame," allowing for an intimate connection with nature. With this vision in mind, we designed a building that could be rapidly constructed using pinewood strips.
▼进入场地,需要经过一个幽静小径,豁然开朗
To enter the site, you need to pass through a quiet pathway that opens up to the world.
▼水平面上,12条肋条切分了整个近圆形的场地。
On the horizontal plane, 12 ribs pide the entire near-circular site.
▼结构生成
Structure Creation
直径4.8M的场地
升起一条“伞”的肋条
圆形阵列,形成12条肋条
在不同垂直高度上水平伸出“手臂”,作为置物架、操作台、座椅,面层铺设桦木板
中间设置取餐台
张拉的绳子局部消减拉向中心的力
底部衍生出可以躺的网
顶部覆盖半透的阳光板,向心留孔,排放雨水
A 4.8-meter-diameter site
Ribs rising as an "umbrella
Circular array of 12 ribs
The "arms" extend horizontally at varying vertical heights to function as shelves, workstations, and seating areas, with the surfaces finished with birch boards.
A pick-up table in the center
The tensioned rope partially reduces the force pulling towards the center.
A net is created at the bottom for lying down.
The top is covered with semi-transparent solar panels with holes toward the center to drain rainwater.
When seated in the building, your view is entirely dominated by greenery, allowing for an unobstructed gaze over the surrounding landscape. At this moment, the boundary between the interior and the exterior becomes indistinct, creating a seamless experience that places you both in nature and within the building.
▼阵列的建筑的“肋条”的过滤框景着进入眼帘的自然。
The filtering framework of the "ribs" in the array of buildings frames the natural scenery that unfolds before you.
▼dd即叠叠,层层叠叠的石块错落的散落在山间,透明的屋顶悬浮在自然之上,跟树的枝条,绿叶,石壁重叠在一起
"dd" refers to "stacked." Layers of stones are scattered throughout the mountains, while the transparent roof is suspended within nature, overlapping with the branches of trees, green leaves, and stone walls.
The entire roof structure is designed in the shape of an inward-tilting "funnel," specifically engineered to channel rainwater toward the circular opening at the center. We envision a scenario where rainwater pours through the circular aperture on a rainy day, subsequently irrigating the thriving plants situated in the center of the circular plane.
▼内倾的“漏斗”形屋顶
Inwardly sloping "funnel"-shaped roof
▼张拉的蓝色绳子是建筑形体的虚拟的延伸,扩充了“虚”的造型,也局部消减了拉向中心的力。
The tensioned blue rope is a virtual extension of the building's form, expanding the "virtual" shape and partially reducing the force pulling it toward the center.
▼底部延伸出的网,让人躺平在自然中
The net that extends from the bottom allows people to lie flat in nature.
▼伸出“手臂”,作为置物架、操作台、座椅
Extending "arms" as shelves, workstations, and seats.
The timeline for design and construction, as stipulated by the client, was very stringent. To make the most of the optimal operating hours during this water-friendly season, we were allocated only 10 days for the design phase and 15 days for material procurement and construction.
Due to the limited area of the site, the 4.8-meter diameter "umbrella" occupies nearly the entire space. Consequently, we carried out the construction of the structure at a carpentry factory, where we assembled, tested, and dismantled it before transporting it to the site for reassembly. This workflow ensures that the structures can be erected on-site in the shortest possible time.
▼在木工工厂第一次将12根肋条立起来,最终在现场36个小时搭完整个结构
Standing up 12 ribs for the first time at the carpentry factory
In this project, we focused on every detail, utilizing increasingly accessible 3D printing technology to directly print certain components and scenic guides in the studio for incorporation into the building. Additionally, we employed the bamboo weaving techniques from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, incorporating multiple twists to enhance the overall shape with a rhythmic interplay of colors.
▼3D打印的端头套盒,定制了品牌LOGO,用于遮盖木方及金属框架暴露的截面。
3D-printed end-sleeves are used to cover the exposed sections of wood squares and metal frames.
▼竹编的屏风,也是自然用另外一种方式在空间内的表现。
Bamboo-woven screen, also a representation of nature in another way in the space.
The small house was completed on time and within schedule. It sits quietly by the waterfall, embracing the sun, rain, wind, and the greenery provided by nature.