'the screen pavilion' by ray&emilio studio is a complex, clustered space to be explored

overlooking the mirrored lake and rolling green hills of hangzhou, china-based ray&emilio studio introduces its ‘screen pavilion’ to the xianghu scenic area. the team, led by architects runwu fang (ray) and minghao wang (emilio), generate the rich geometries of the structure to be camouflaged into its surrounding natural context and to offer the visitor a cluster of framed views from within. programmed with a small activity room and a tea bar, the project is comprised of a collection of circular openings integrated within a state of mixed screens. the duo comments: ‘we hope to present a kind of beauty with dreamy explored and expanded possibilities.’

images by yilong zhao

ray&emilio studio articulates its screen pavilion to obscure the boundary between interior and exterior space. these circular screened openings are organized to penetrate deeply into the space while at the same time projecting outward, eliminating the typical perimeter wall. the design team makes use of the screen as a material for its capacity to control human perception. transparency allows the viewer to read the depth of the layered surfaces, identifying three dimensional spheres taking shape with the accumulating arched elements. these elements are clustered with a dense complexity, introducing a space to be explored even while compact.

with the screen pavilion, ray&emilio studio realizes an abstract transformation of a typical chinese architectural element. open and inviting to the public, the environment is defined by its cinematic arrangement of views, conceptually recalling the atmosphere of traditional chinese gardens. due to the east-west orientation of the building, the intervention of light can present different interior conditions throughout the day, giving the building a sense of time. while the vertical elements are screened, the floor and ceiling is finished with tile — these two materials with different levels of transparency maintain an intimate atmosphere beneath an enclosed roof.

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project info:

project title: the screen pavilion

architecture: ray&emilio studio | contact

location: hangzhou, china

lead architects: runwu fang (ray), minghao wang (emilio)

design team: jiangnan fan, dawei xu, ziyue gong, zhichao ma

model and rendering: xiangyi wang, qianhui wang

construction: zhejiang junhao construction co., ltd.

client: hangzhou bole industrial design co., xianghu national tourism resort management committee

completion: 2020

photography: yilong zhao