wood and stone wrap urbanfabric design's cabin in china wetlands

Wetland Cabin perches along Jianyang Lake, china

UrbanFabric Design’s Wetland Cabin stands at the eastern edge of the Taizhou Jianyang Lake Wetland, China, surrounded by water on three sides. With its form blending in with its vast natural setting, the cabin is characterized by a pure, minimalist design that allows its backdrop to become the protagonist, weaving glimpses of it into the home.

The Chinese practice also adopts an ecological approach that prioritizes sustainability while engaging with the site’s ecological diversity. A material palette that reflects a thoughtful integration of durability and aesthetic appeal was selected. The second-floor facade is clad in Yakisugi wood, valued for its resistance to humidity and pests. Meanwhile, gaps between the wooden slats reduce wind resistance, enhancing the structure’s resilience. Discarded stone scraps, sourced from a nearby factory, also wrap around the first floor, reducing costs to just one-fifth of the budget.

all images courtesy of UrbanFabric Design

urbanfabric design looks to the site’s ecological diversity

‘‘Landscape’ and ‘viewing’ have become the two ends of the balance of the design in this case. In the delicate balance of the two, we create a model of ecological and high-quality wetland buildings,’ says the UrbanFabric Design team. To minimize the impact on the wetland’s soft soil foundation, the building’s footprint was deliberately kept small. A steel-frame structure ensures stability while enabling rapid construction with minimal disruption to the ecosystem.

The roof, designed with a cantilevered steel frame, reduces the need for vertical columns, preserving the site’s visual openness. Transparent tempered glass curtain walls frame unobstructed views of the lake to the east, maintaining the purity of the interior by eliminating the need for glass fins.

located at the eastern edge of the Taizhou Jianyang Lake Wetland, China