amid the dramatic karst mountain landscape of yangshuo, china, lllab. has realized this subtle architectural intervention for an outdoor theater show called impression sanjie liu. the project involves a series of bamboo ‘lanterns’ covered by a large, organic-shaped canopy.
images © arch-exist photography
with such an impressive setting, lllab. chose not to compete with it. instead, the design team developed this bamboo structure in order to tie in with the existing clusters of bamboo that already cover most of the night show site.
the new architecture is introduced into the middle ground of the island site, between the guest entrance and the main stage, which is perched at the bank of the li river at the other end. the woven bamboo lantern structures are scattered where guests circulate, and are designed to guide and intrigue. the second intervention is a stretch of woven canopy that sits among clusters of bamboo, providing an area sheltered from regular rainfall.
from the entrance, the lanterns begin as small structures, before growing to large nest-like forms that visitors can walk inside. the handmade, woven structure is exposed, allowing people to see the random yet intricate beauty of something built by hand. the slightly dark appearance of bamboo framing shows markings of how it is bowed with fire to create the curved lantern silhouette. over this, piece by piece, teams of local craftsman have threaded numerous strips of bamboo in an unintentional pattern that requires no glues or nails to hold its shape. during the day, these lanterns appear solid, while at night they create an interesting play of light.
further along at the edge of the island, the canopy shrouds itself within the large masts of bamboo. appearing to have little support, structural columns are in fact hidden within the clusters of bamboo. stretching 140 meters, the undulating canopy is pieced together in the same irregular hand-woven bamboo as the lantern, albeit at a much larger scale. the resulting architecture means to enchant while still respecting the natural landscape.
under daylight, light streams through the woven canopy, bringing patches of dappled light to the ground below. in the transition to night, the spattering of light creates a more vivid pattern on the pathway.
in reference to the theatrical spirit of the impression sanjie liu, moments of performance make their way into many parts of the design: the hand weaving, bamboo playing off the tension of one another. the topography of the canopy ceiling dancing between columns of bamboo as if unsupported. even the way guests are intended to move from lantern to lantern, in a narrative of interaction. together these subtle hints encourage a particular frame of mind, readying the guest for the main show.
project info:
project name: bamboo bamboo, canopy and pavilions, impression sanjie liu
location: yangshuo, guilin, china
site area: 90,000 m2
construction area: 1,900 m2
status: completed
timeline: may 2018 – july 2020
client: impression sanjie liu
architectural design firm: lllab.
architectural design: hanxiao liu, henry d’ath, lexian hu, alyssa tang, chaoran fan, luis ricardo, david correa
project management team: gcps interior decoration finishing ltd., lihua mi, dalin chai, hao zhang, guoyang wan
project construction team: yinghong shao, yanru dong, yingming shao
structural design: lalu partners structure consulting
photography: arch-exist photography
