BAMBOO BUILDINGS

bamboo courtyard teahouse

Located in the SHIQIAO garden in Yangzhou, a city to the northwest of Shanghai, there is a floating Bamboo Courtyard Teahouse designed by Chinese architect Sun Wei, partner of HWCD. As an international design practice, with offices in London and Barcelona, HWCD has been developing various projects, specializes in boutique hotels, residents and mix-use projects. Their projects emphasize on the existing “worldwide interconnectedness” in the architecture and design spheres by bringing together traditional Asian aesthetic and modern design language.

The Bamboo Courtyard is an example of the HWCD design philosophy, embracing the traditional Chinese garden fundamentals while blending into the natural environment. The bamboo is arranged vertically and horizontally to produce “depth” and visual effects as you walk around. Tall rows of bamboo sticks create corridors along the outdoor walkway and are organized in asymmetric fashion on the lake.

first, the free-standing earth-brick structures are clustered as an almost miniature urban plan, each with views across the lake. their thermal properties retain heat in the winter and reduce the need for extra resources, while their neutral tones blend into the landscape. over this, a thin translucent bamboo trellis defines vertical and horizontal elements that inform exterior spaces without completely enclosing them from the outside world. reminiscent of  the stocks emerging from the water, the bamboo screens help shade the constructs in the summer and from a distance give a more natural look to the complex.

From the exterior, the bamboo courtyard is a cubic form with a variation of solids and voids. The strong verticality becomes more apparent at night when the teahouse lights up to illuminate the surroundings. The simple form illustrates the congruent blending of architecture with nature. Moreover, the natural materials such as bamboo and bricks provide sustainable sensibilities. The pocket of voids improves natural ventilation within the bamboo courtyard while the thick brick wall retains heat in winter, reducing the dependency of mechanical heating and cooling system.