WT architects' concrete barn in rural china connects visitors to nature

Joybo agricultural complex by WT architects

Within the rural countryside of Chongqing city in China’s Jiangjin district, WT architects has completed an agricultural complex called ‘Joybo.’ Aiming to create the experience of ‘island hopping,’ the design houses various functions in different structures, including a farm museum with a sloping concrete roof, an elevated circular retail area, a sunken ‘snail-shaped’ vegetable garden, and a restaurant-café surrounded by water. The project promotes a contemporary rural lifestyle that is different from urban life, encouraging visitors to form a closer bond with their natural surroundings.

perhaps the most prominent element of ‘Joybo’ is the concrete barn museum

all images courtesy of Arch-Exist

concrete barn museum

A small stream flows along the site, forming several peninsulas associated with the various functional areas of the ensemble. Perhaps the most striking element of the project is the concrete barn museum with a gable roof, which stands in the center of a field of concentric circles. The materiality of the museum is composed of stone and concrete, while the volumetry is completed with multiple balconies, and terraces. These elements allow visitors to keep in contact with the outside natural worlds while traversing the interior. The three-story building has a rough character that is momentarily brightened by the warm sunlight that enters the interior through the diagonal skylights. Inside, a sunken circular seating area serves as a quiet gathering space.

In front of the barn, a tiered structure acts as a viewing platform, opening onto the adjacent stream. Adjacent to the barn, two circular stores with glass facades invite visitors to purchase agricultural products. The volumes are partially enclosed by a 2-meter-high concrete wall that follows the curve of the field circles and gently touches the river. The team at WT architects has opted for a geometry that creates an almost spiritual path and an overall solemn feeling.

the barn is topped with a gable roof and diagonal skylights

snail-shaped vegetable garden

Next to the museum, there is the snail-shaped garden with fixed planting beds for vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees to bloom and wither, and offer ever-changing scenarios throughout the year. The garden is spiraled, much like a snail, encouraging visitors to walk slowly and observe the lush surroundings. Five ‘snail tentacles’ extend to the river as a resting platform that allows guests to spend a moment near the water and enjoy nature through the spatial arrangement.

Fluorescent stones are used as flooring for the garden to create a starry sky on the ground, reminiscent of the galaxy in the universe. Together with the fireflies on the riverbank, the glowing stones create a romantic countryside atmosphere.

the concrete barn stands in the center of a field of concentric circles

elevated country tavern

The country tavern is located on the third peninsula after the snail garden and serves as a restaurant-café for visitors to the Joybo complex. The entrance is on the east side and is framed by bamboo and farmhouses, while the west side is surrounded by water. The south side receives abundant sunlight, while the north side faces the museum and vegetable garden.

The tavern consists of two different volumes that respond to the surroundings in different ways. The first volume consists of three sloping roofs that come together to form a single structure, while a fully glazed façade offers generous views of the fields and water. The second volume is supported by two V-shaped groups of columns and rises into the air. In front of this cantilevered building is a sunken garden surrounded by water, offering the possibility of barbecues in summer and bonfires in winter.

two circular stores with glass facades invite visitors to purchase agricultural products