timber oasis gulao tea alcove emerges from the fish ponds of china
with multiples of about 1 meter, the standardized grid becomes a free-flowing volume creating fluidity of movement for both people and nature.
blending with gulao’s man-made fish ponds
around gulao water town’s man-made ponds and intertwining landforms, gulao tea alcove by aether architects marks its organic stance. built as a public building for afternoon gatherings, the grid-shaped structure blends in with the surroundings, while minimizing the built footprint as much as possible. the chinese design further embellishes the graphic landscape without losing the sense of intimacy between people and nature.
gulao tea alcove amongst the water and landforms of gulao water town, china
all images courtesy of aether architects
the fluidity of the tea alcove grid
raised above the ground and through the grass, gulao tea alcove by aether architects frames the blue skies, houses and serene water surfaces of sanxingtang village. conceptually, the façade-less design opens up the views with a structural modulus. with multiples of about 1 meter, the basic scale respects the one of public facilities such as village paths, water bridges or platforms. essentially, by following such a standardized grid, a free-flowing volume creates a fluidity of movement for people and nature.
with the hollow floor and reflective ceiling, an intimacy between interior and exterior unravels. the multi-layered scenery is further superimposed in the vertical dimension, as the timber columns divide the raised platform into contemporary areas of interaction and dialogue. as the inflatable cushions fill in the empty squares, a comfortable, afternoon tea experience is at everyone’s feet.
the structural grid follows a modulus of 1mx1m, such as the one used for water bridges and village paths 
the hollow floor is filled with the inflatable cushions 
ergonomic chairs complete the seating arrangement ideal for tea sessions
the reflective ceiling creates an intimate connection between structure and nature
1/5
project info:
name: gulao tea alcove
designer: zelin huang
architects: aether architects
completion year: 2021
built area: 180sqm
location: sanxingtang village, gulao water town, heshan city, guangdong province, china lead
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
