wutopia lab’s emerald screen pergola meanders through china’s flowering forests

reviving classical chinese gardens

Wutopia Lab has unveiled this Emerald Screen Pergola at Bogong Island Ecology Park in Wuxi, China. The structure, described by the architects as ‘wandering dragon-like,’ pays homage to classical Chinese garden architecture while embracing modern design and materials.

The Emerald Screen Pergola draws inspiration from traditional pergolas found in classical Chinese gardens. Historically, these structures were made from bamboo or wood, forming intricate roofless corridors and pavilions covered by climbing plants. This design merges natural elements with architectural space, fostering cultural activities centered around flowers and serving as a significant symbol in Chinese art. Over time, many of these structures, except for the flower trellises, have faded from existence in classical gardens.

images © CreatAR

wutopia lab Restores + Redesigns a Trellis Corridor

Wutopia Lab designs its Emerald Screen Pavilion on Bogong Island, which was once home to a picturesque steel trellis. This disused structure stretched over a kilometer and was overgrown with wisteria and roses. The trellis gradually deteriorated, leading to safety concerns and calling for reconstruction. The architects at Wutopia Lab reimagined this space by utilizing leaf-inspired shapes to create varied wall and roof structures along the corridor. These elements open, close, stand alone, overlap, and even disappear, replacing the monotonous design of the old trellis with a dynamic and vibrant interplay of light and form. This fluid project, recalling a ‘Dragon Dance,’ led to the name ‘A wandering dragon-like Emerald Screen Pergola.’

the pergola draws on classical Chinese garden architecture, integrating natural and modern elements

emerald screen pergola will transform over time

The framework of Wutopia Lab’s Emerald Screen Pergola consists of round steel covered with white-painted steel mesh, providing a scaffold for climbing plants. Initially, before the plants ascend, the white mesh creates a mist-like visual effect against the scenic backdrop of the park. At the entrance to the corridor and park, the team planned a flower pavilion. This central, roofless structure uses layered, feather-like white steel meshes, creating a semi-transparent Pantheon. The pavilion serves as a grand entrance, marking the reopening of Bogong Island Ecology Park.

The unveiling of the white, transparent Emerald Screen Pergola and flower pavilion marks the project’s first stage. The second stage will witness plants climbing the corridor, slowly transforming it into a lush green structure. In the third stage, an array of blooming flowers, including ivy, jasmine, roses, honeysuckle, and wisteria, will add vibrant colors. This evolving, dragon-like structure will come to life, integrating gradually with its natural surroundings.

the new design replaces a deteriorated 1.2-kilometer steel trellis once covered with wisteria and roses
leaf-inspired structures open, close, and overlap, creating a vibrant and fluid space along the corridor
round steel frames and white-painted steel mesh provide a scaffold for climbing plants

the pergola will transform over time as plants climb and flowers bloom, adding greenery and color

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project info:

project title: Emerald Screen Pavilion

architecture: Wutopia Lab | @wutopia.lab

location: Bogong Island, Wuxi, China

completion: March 2024

building area: 925 square meters

photography: © CreatAR | @creatarimages

chief architect: YU Ting
project architect: MU Zhilin
design team: FANG Xiaobin, AN Yingjie
plant design team: SHAO Jie, LI Feiran, ZHANG Licheng
client: Wuxi Cultural Tourism Development Group Co., Ltd
construction drawing design firm: Wuxi Culture and Tourism Construction Development Co., Ltd
construction drawing design team: CAI Zhongming, SHI Wei
construction firm: Wuxi Taihu Mingzhu Ecological Restoration Co., Ltd
LTDChief planner of W’ECO Design Festival: HOU Zhengguang, SUN Qun, XU Yun
W’ECO design festival planning firm: Beijing Keyi Cultural & Creative Enterprise Management Co., Ltd
lighting consultant: Chloe ZHANG