Shanghai Bloom Pavilion by SpActrum in Wenzhou, China

Project: Shanghai Bloom Pavilion Architects: SpActrum Location: Shanghai Village, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China Area: 1,291 sq ft Year: 2020 Photography: Di Zhu & SpActrum

Shanghai Bloom Pavilion by SpActrum

The Shanghai Bloom Pavilion is a bold reaction to the overly manicured and renovated village. It emerges from a vortex responding to its surroundings: the need to gather at the bridge, the desire to rise higher for views, and a structural support that both lifts the vortex and compresses it toward the earth. The cone collects rainwater flowing through the sloped walls of the pots and drains it into a pond on the ground. The cone stops, allowing sunlight to penetrate the rooms beneath. It breaks down the boundaries between building and landscape, integrating existing elements into a vibrant architectural environment for leisure and pleasure.

Shanghai Village is a redevelopment project in Wenzhou aimed at transforming the previously traditional village into a tourist destination. SpActrum left the project immediately after we presented the master plan in 2017–2018. Since then, the village has been significantly cleaned up but lost part of its ancient atmospheric effect. The previously charming chaotic state has turned into an emptiness of deliberate construction activity. SpActrum's team re-engaged, striving to restore the sense of uncertainty previously felt on-site and began working on an empty plot near the village bridge.

The site is an empty space next to a traditional 1950s–60s village-style house. It is strategically positioned near the central bridge of the village, and the river potentially could become a point of attraction for both views and a spiritual community center. The site is ideal for gathering people at the heart of the village, offering beautiful views of the river and magnificent Qing Dynasty houses. Due to the small sizes of neighboring buildings, the new structure must harmonize with them in height and scale. The flower cone aimed toward the sky is both a geometric and practical solution to support the intended structure and introduce 'nature' inside the building.

The overall geometry is derived from a computer form embodying the function and power needed to fulfill its task. This creates very complex geometry, which was later manually simplified into triangles and quadrilaterals to match the construction capabilities in the village. Ultimately, it consisted of two spirals; the outer one rises from the ground forming a platform connected to the upper floor of neighboring buildings. This provides an elevated panoramic view of the village. The inner spiral is a cone supporting the platform. It divides into two parts, allowing light to enter rooms through openings. The walls of the cone's pots act as flags attracting people from a distance and demonstrating how living beings can coexist with artificial structures, as was the case in this village in the past. The covered interior area is a functional space with its internal walls built using traditional techniques from shells, creating a very uneven surface. A key aspect of the project is rejecting any single identity or branding. It integrates landscape features, functional space, a public gathering point, and an expressive statement of how nature blends with the built environment.

The project challenges existing definitions of artificial environments. It reacts to the behavior and needs of people in specific site conditions. Construction, landscape, shelter, pavilion—call it what you will. Such a structure enriches the experience of people in the village; it highlights the central bridge, provides tiered rest spots with views, offers shelter in harsh climates, and gradually becomes an alternative landmark—a human-filled orienting point that weaves with nature and the built environment.

The design captures potential trends through digital design tools and adapts to the site using appropriate construction technologies. The design team also developed a methodology for managing spatial coordinates of form through simple faces, and the resulting geometry was simplified for the local construction team. Thanks to such a team's involvement, the building process restores authenticity in architectural behavior: build when necessary, not just on desire.

The design uses easily accessible local materials and develops them into a unique architectural language, as the original village buildings have done for hundreds of years. The overall material ensures low construction and operational costs; the heavy platform gives high stability to the interior space. Plants in the cone grow continuously, adding a temporal dimension to this artificial structure. It is an environmentally integrated project inviting natural elements and people to celebrate its ambiguity and richness.

-Project description and images provided by SpActrum

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