GN Architects designs The Seaside Pavilion to bring "sense of romance" to Chinese island

A canopy of leaf-like sails that flutter in the breeze shelters this pavilion, completed by local practice GN Architects on the remote island of Chaishan in China.

Perched on a former 1960s cargo pier alongside a ferry terminal, The Seaside Pavilion is informed by the traditional presence of large trees at the entrances of Chinese villages.

GN Architects designed the pavilion as a gateway to the main village of Chaishan Island, which is home to fewer than 100 permanent residents following the rapid urbanisation of the mainland.

It was the winning design of a competition held as part of a government initiative called "Hello, Little Island", which aims to boost the recognition of Zhoushan's remote islands through a series of architectural interventions.

"The Seaside Pavilion, a wind-driven kinetic art installation situated on a derelict island wharf, aims to infuse a sense of romance into the island's rustic life through design," said the studio.

"Drawing from traditional Chinese village imagery, where an ancient tree at the entrance symbolizes arrival and communal gathering, the pavilion establishes a symbolic 'island gateway,' completing the village's spatial narrative while enhancing wayfinding and identity," it added.

Originally, The Seaside Pavilion was to be built entirely from timber. However, the need to withstand strong ocean winds and typhoons required a reinforced-steel platform to support its lightweight timber frame.

At the base of this wooden frame are a series of benches from which locals and visitors can watch the sea, as well as the arrival and departure of ferries.

Above, the 36 slender blades that form the pavilion's canopy were created using local fishing nets stretched over a white steel framework, with each connected to a central axis that allows them to sway back and forth.

Computer simulations were used to calculate the optimum balance for each of these blades, which have counterweights at each end and can be securely tied back to the frame during typhoons to prevent damage.

"Given the coastal location, the installation uses corrosion-resistant steel and anti-rust coatings," said GN Architects.

"While fabric membranes were originally planned for the blades, higher-strength fishing ropes were selected for better durability and wind resistance," it added.

Other pavilions in China recently featured on Dezeen include an egg-shaped resting space by Xisui Design, which sits in the centre of a pond in Hefei City, and the black-timber Drop-Stop structure that Aptdotapt placed on a mountain.

The photography is by Liang Wenjun.

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