studio frank havermans designs 'social magnet' for shenzhen biennale

as part of shenzhen‘s bi-city biennale of urbanism and architecture, studio frank havermans has designed a new architectural installation for a plot in dapeng fortress. the structure, titled ‘KAPKAR / DPF-4B’ is site specific and draws on the surrounding vernacular architecture to create a reinterpretation of local building elements. the result is a futuristic and bright orange meeting point for the community that intends to ‘work like a magnet.’

all images courtesy of li yiting and studio frank havermans

the design of the installation takes inspiration directly from the village of dapeng fortress and its rich cultural background, not to mention its intriguing location next to the sea. with this context as the starting point, studio frank havermans brought together four elements of chinese architecture to design KAPKAR / DPF-4B: the buttresses of the granary, the stacking of architectural wooden structures, the omnipresent faint gable roofs, and the elegant wooden mortise and tenon joints.

these four elements come together in a new futuristic appearance and are applied with a bright orange color to represent the work clothes of the cleaners of dapeng. the abstract structure forms a striking contrast with the historic environment and offers a completely different perspective on the local building culture. past, present and future become merged into one expression.

the installation is located in front of the old granary in the heart of the ancient village, at the entrance of the biennale exhibition. it’s designed as a hub between inside and outside. in the evening the object gives a soft mysterious light, a beacon in the darkness.

KAPKAR / DPF-4B is also designed to be multi-functional. from a place for children to play to a simple seating area, or even a stage for performance, the installation becomes a backdrop for the theater of life.

studio frank havermans created KAPKAR / DPF-4B for the shenzhen bi-city biennale of urbanism\architecture 2019, of which dapeng fortress is an official sub-venue. curated by yang yong of shangqi art, the biennale takes place between december 25 2019 and march 29 2020.